16 Channel Massive MIMO Characterization and Development Platform for Enabling Research into the Physical-layer of the Sub-6 GHz 5G Communication Systems

面向5G无线通信的超高吞吐量、超低延迟和无所不在连接的新型可重构网络的研发工作在全球范围内不断扩大。大规模多输入多输出（mMIMO）的概念为5G物理层的成功优化奠定了基础，因为它有可能同时提高频谱效率和系统吞吐量，降低传输功率，改善用户体验并降低用户设备的复杂性。业界正在竞相开发具有成本效益的基础设施解决方案，射频（RF）硬件能够满足现实操作条件下信号质量和功耗的挑战性要求。为了成功实现实现5G全部承诺的无线解决方案，研究人员必须以协同方式开发节能的mMIMO RF前端和实时数字信号处理（DSP）算法，这些都是实际约束和局限性的原因。

Research efforts into the development of new reconfigurable networks with ultra-high throughput, ultra-low latency, and ubiquitous connectivity for 5G wireless communication continue to expand globally. The concept of massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) underpins successful optimization of the 5G physical-layer, given its potential to simultaneously increase spectral efficiency and system throughput, reduce transmission power, improve user experience, and reduce the complexity of user equipment. Industry is racing to develop cost-effective infrastructure solutions with radio frequency (RF) hardware capable of meeting the challenging requirements of both signal quality and power consumption under realistic operating conditions. To succeed in realizing wireless solutions that achieve the full promise of 5G, researchers must develop, in a synergistic manner, power efficient mMIMO RF frontends and real-time digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms which account for the practical constraints and limitations. The requested mMIMO characterization and development platform will include 16-channel sub-6GHz digital-to-RF transceiver hardware with fully reconfigurable real-time signal processing capabilities and high-throughput peer-to-peer communication to form the first truly sub-6GHz 5G mMIMO test bed in Canada. This platform will allow researchers to carry out comprehensive theoretical and technical training in advanced DSP techniques, microwave and wireless communications systems engineering, test and measurement techniques, digital hardware, and real-time systems for graduate students, and is critical to the internationally-competitive research programs of the applicants. Outcomes of these programs (new analyses, models, algorithms and RF frontend module prototypes) are essential to the applicants' multinational industry partners. In addition, at least 15 students, research associates and postdoctoral fellows will develop knowledge and practical skills at the very leading edge of the sub-6GHz mMIMO communication technology evolution. These highly qualified personnel will work closely with researchers and engineers from world-leading industry partners, and their research will provide those partners with critical knowledge for practical mMIMO-based infrastructure deployment. This will help ensure Canadian industry has access to highly-skilled labor and is at the forefront of the commercialization of 5G networking equipment. Moreover, the outcomes made possible with the requested equipment will help us realize the benefits of mMIMO communication technology to meet the staggeringly high data rate, low latency and high connectivity demands imposed by the digital transformation of service provision in the wireless communication sector.