5G MassiveMIMO Testbed
5G MassiveMIMO Testbed
5G MassiveMIMO Testbed
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Overview
Massive MIMO is an exciting area of 5G wireless research. For next-generation wireless data
networks, it promises significant gains that offer the ability to accommodate more users at
higher data rates with better reliability while consuming less power. Using the NI Massive
MIMO Software Architecture, researchers can build Massive MIMO testbeds to rapidly
prototype large-scale antenna systems using award-winning LabVIEW system design
software and state-of-the-art NI USRP™ RIO software defined radios (SDRs). With a
simplified design flow for creating FPGA-based logic and streamlined deployment for high-
performance processing, researchers in this field can meet the demands of prototyping these
highly complex systems with a unified hardware and software design flow.
Contents
Introduction
The MIMO Prototyping System
MIMO Prototyping System Hardware
LabVIEW Communications System Design Suite
The LabVIEW Communications MIMO Application Framework
Additional Resources
Bibliography
Introduction
With the race to 5G now underway, the wireless research community has embarked on a
journey to create the technologies of tomorrow that will deliver unprecedented improvements
in network throughput and capacity, enhancements in spectral efficiency, reduced end-to-end
latency, and increased reliability and more. These improvements are driven by key
performance requirements defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as
Figure 1 [1] below summarizes. As shown, the improvements in performance for IMT-2020
(5G) over IMT-Advanced are significant with a 20X improvement in peak data rate from 1
Gb/s to 20 Gb/s. Similarly, the user experienced data rate increases 10X from 10 Mb/s to 100
Mb/s and latency is reduced by a factor of 10 from 10 ms down to 1 ms.
With data rates many times higher than modern-day wireless communication systems, 5G
will launch a whole host of new applications and services that will provide consumers with
multimedia experiences never before made possible, including ultra-high definition 4K, 8K,
and 3D video streaming. Very low latency and ultra-high reliable 5G networks will also
enable new mission-critical applications such as traffic safety and control of critical
infrastructure and industry processes that require much lower latency compared to modern-
day mobile communication systems. Improvements in spectral efficiency from 1X to 3X will
also be critical to serve the foreseen explosion of not just consumer electronics but also the
many sensors, rendering devices, and actuators associated with the Internet of Things (IoT).
Given the limited availability of spectrum and the projected massive number of IoT devices
to come online, 5G networks will have to make far more efficient use of spectrum than that of
wireless networks today.
Although promising in theory, massive MIMO has yet to be tested in large-scale field trials to
prove its viability for widespread commercial deployment. However, progress has been made
with recent findings by Bristol and Lund universities, which show that huge gains in spectral
efficiency are achievable in real-time, over-the-air trials [6], [7]. Using the MIMO
Prototyping System shown below in Figure 3, researchers at the Universities of Bristol and
Lund achieved a record breaking spectral efficiency of 145.6 bits/s/Hz with 128 antennas at
the base station and 22 single antenna mobile stations over a 20 MHz radio channel which
amounts to a 22x increase in spectral efficiency over today’s existing 4G networks.
Figure 3. Bristol and Lund universities used the MIMO Prototyping System for massive
MIMO research and prototyping.
Although the achievements of the universities have taken massive MIMO one step closer to
reality by proving that huge gains in spectral efficiency are indeed attainable in not just
computer-based simulations but also in real-world, over-the-air trails, there is still much to be
done and many more problems to be solved before commercial massive MIMO networks are
rolled out. A few outstanding problems still yet to be solved include the following:
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In light of these challenges, National Instruments offers a complete prototyping solution for
multi-user MIMO research, including Massive MIMO. The National Instruments MIMO
Prototyping System includes everything required to get a real-time, over-the-air multi-user
MIMO system up and running immediately out of the box without the development of any
additional code [6]. Shown below in Figure 4 are the three main components to the MIMO
Prototyping System including (1) state-of-the-art SDR hardware, (2) a single unified software
design environment, and (3) real-time FPGA IP as part of a MIMO software reference
design. Together, the three components of the MIMO Prototyping System significantly
reduce the challenges in prototyping real-time wireless communication systems compared to
traditional prototyping methods to accelerate the development of next generation
communication systems.
Figure 4. The MIMO Prototyping System is a complete multiuser MIMO prototyping
solution including hardware, software, and IP.
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The MIMO prototyping system supports a modular architecture based upon the USRP RIO
that scales in RF channels to enable single user MIMO (SU-MIMO), multi-user MIMO (MU-
MIMO), and Massive MIMO [8]. The number of base station antennas can be configured to
support as few as 2 or as much as 128 antennas. Phase coherency and synchronization across
RF channels is enabled through a highly stable OCXO clock source that is distributed to the
various radio heads throughout the system along with high speed digital trigger signals.
Mobile stations are also included as part of the system and can scale in the number of
antennas from 1 to 12. Photographs of the base station and mobile station hardware are
shown below in Figure 5.
The hardware also supports a modular FPGA architecture which scales in FPGAs in order to
deliver more computational power for highly intensive signal processing tasks for real-time
applications which require high channel counts and wide bandwidths. Up to 64 dual-channel
USRP RIO devices are used as radio heads equipped with a high-performance Xilinx Kintex-
7 FPGA which perform OFDM modulation and demodulation. IQ samples are routed from
the radio heads through the system at high speed via low-latency PCI Express connections
and then transferred to PXIe-7976 PXI FPGA modules (also equipped with Kintex-7
FPGA’s) for centralized MIMO processing.
For more details on the MIMO Prototyping System hardware architecture including technical
specifications of individual components and their various interconnections, refer to the white
paper, Introduction to the NI MIMO Prototyping System Hardware.
Figure 5. MIMO Prototyping System: 128 Antenna Base Station (left and bottom right) and
Mobile Station (upper right)
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Figure 6. A typical SDR hardware architecture consisting of CPU and FPGA processing
targets that are programmable in LabVIEW Communications.
For FPGA-based applications that require strict timing determinism at a circuit level such as
computationally intensive digital signal processing or time-critical MAC layer operations,
LabVIEW Communications provides all the software development tools needed to create
FPGA IP for wireless communication applications. In addition to developing large complex
FPGA applications based on circuit primitives, LabVIEW Communications also includes
Xilinx IP for a number of signal-processing functions and also enables other sources of HDL
code to be imported and reused to improve productivity. LabVIEW Communications also
includes built-in cycle accurate simulation and debugging tools to eliminate errors in code
prior to lengthy compilation.
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By providing an advanced starting point for building custom designs, researchers can save
tremendous amounts of time that would have otherwise been required to develop their own
equivalent solution from scratch. Understanding the importance of timely results under tight
budgetary constraints, the MIMO Application Framework accelerates the development
process of MIMO prototypes and PoCs by providing a software reference design that
provides an extensive baseline set of features and capabilities common to many MIMO
communication systems. With use of these baseline set of features, researchers can focus
their time and effort on the development of new features and capabilities specific to their
research goals rather than struggling through the challenges of creating the complete system
from the ground up. By spending less time on the development of application code,
researchers can instead focus on that which is most important – achieving results.
o Supports SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO, and Massive MIMO
o 50 MHz – 6 GHz frequency coverage
o 20 MHz bandwidth TDD UL & DL
o Scalable number of base station antennas from 2 up to 128
o Scalable number of mobile station antennas up to 12 antennas
o Support for up to 12 spatial streams
o Fully reconfigurable frame structure based on LTE
o 128x12 MMSE, ZF, and MRC MIMO precoder/equalizer FPGA IP
o Supports 4 QAM, 16 QAM, 64 QAM, 256 QAM
o Channel reciprocity calibration enabling reciprocity based precoding
o AGC and open loop power control
o Over the air synchronization
o Basic MAC functionality supports packet-based user data transmission in DL
and UL to enable data streaming applications, such as video transmission.
The MIMO Application Framework supports SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO, and Massive MIMO
all within a single code base. As shown below in Figure 7, a wide range of network
configurations can be created varying in (1) the number of mobile stations and (2) the number
of antennas for all of the devices within the system, i.e. base station and mobile stations.
From a single base station and mobile station pair for SU-MIMO experimentation to multiple
mobile stations each with varying number of antennas for MU-MIMO experimentation, the
MIMO Application Framework is unmatched in flexibility and scalability to meet the
demanding requirements of a whole host of MIMO applications including Massive MIMO.
Figure 7. Multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) compared to single user MIMO (SU-MIMO).
The MIMO bases station and mobile stations can be configured with a variable number of
antennas depending upon the requirements of an application. The MIMO Application
Framework supports up to 12 spatial layers in both the uplink and downlink directions and
can be modified to support additional layers if needed. With such capabilities, a wide range
of different MIMO configurations can be realized across all the mobile stations and base
station within a network. A few examples of different MIMO configurations are listed below
in Table 1 to illustrate how the MIMO Application Framework can be used to conduct
experiments for SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO, and Massive MIMO. Please note that use of the
MIMO Application Framework is not limited to just these three examples, but can be used for
many others.
The MIMO Application Framework provides seamless control of the SDR hardware and
underlying PHY layer by allowing users to configure the number of antennas through
software without the need to change or modify the FPGA design. This best-in-class software
experience provides users with a high degree of flexibility to simplify the overall process of
setting-up and conducting MIMO experiments.
Figure 8. Block diagram of the Massive MIMO base station signal processing chain.
To make use of channel reciprocity, a number of conditions must be met, including the
accurate estimation of the UL channel response, excluding contributions from the RF
circuitry for each of the antenna channels at the base station and mobile stations. To this end,
the MIMO Application Framework includes automated routines to perform the calibration of
the various base station RF front ends whereby the frequency response of each RF chain is
estimated in both the UL and DL direction. Estimates of the RF front ends are then applied to
the UL channel estimation process to ensure accurate measure of just the over-the-air channel
is achieved.
o Designation of OFDM symbol type: UL pilot, UL Data, DL Pilot, DL Data,
UL/DL switch guard time.
o QAM modulation order from 4 QAM to 256 QAM per spatial layer.
A diagram of the radio frame structure is shown in Figure 9, which includes information at
the frame level down to the OFDM symbol level. Additional information on other system
parameters is also listed in Table 2. Note the similarities to the LTE standard for the 20 MHz
transmission mode [9].
Parameter Values
Bandwidth per channel 20 MHz
Sampling rate 30.72 MS/s
FFT size 2,048
Number of used subcarrier 1,200
Number of resource blocks 100
Number of OFDM symbols per
7
slot
160 (first symbol)
CP length (samples)
144 (six following
symbols)
Frame duration 10 ms
Subframe duration 1 ms
Slot duration 0.5 ms
Understanding the importance of power control, the MIMO Application Framework includes
software routines that automatically adjust the power levels. This includes both automatic
gain control (AGC) logic at the receivers of mobile stations and the base station, as well as
open loop power control at the mobile station uplink transmitters. Doing so ensures signals
are received at both ends of the link at power levels which increase the likelihood of properly
being demodulated with minimal errors. Moreover, because the process of adjusting power
levels is completely automated, users are not required to make manual adjustments to the
many RF transceivers at the mobile stations which can be a time consuming process for large
networks - enabling users to get up and running quickly, right out of the box.
A series of screen shots shown below show how users can monitor and interact with the
MIMO Application Framework through its intuitive user interface. Note that the user
interfaces for the base station and multiple antenna mobile stations are very similar as
both support multiple antennas. The examples below show screenshots for the base station
and the single-antenna mobile station.
Shown below in Figure 10 is a screenshot of the base station “UL MIMO Processor” tab of
the MIMO Application Framework. Displayed in it, are IQ plots of the uplink received signal
constellations for up to twelve spatial streams – providing users with an immediate indication
of how well the overall system is performing and a qualitative sense of the received signal-to-
noise ratio (SNR). Additionally, shown near the top and center of Figure 10, is the measured,
aggregate uplink received signal throughput for all the mobile stations which also provides
users with a measure of how successfully data is received at the base station based upon
knowledge of the transmission rate for each mobile station. Likewise, the downlink
transmission rate is also displayed and can be used in a similar way to assess the quality of
the transmission in the downlink direction.
Figure 10. MIMO Application Framework Uplink Receive Constellations
Shown below in Figure 11 is a screenshot of the base station “UL Data” tab of the MIMO
Application Framework. In it, are plots of the uplink throughput for each spatial stream as a
function of time, providing users with additional means of monitoring the performance of the
system over longer periods of time. In this example, four spatial streams are received at the
base station wherein the uplink throughput for each of the streams is shown in different
colors. As shown in Figure 11, the total uplink throughput for all four streams is
approximately 54.7 Mbps. For a system with more spatial streams, additional plots of
varying colors would be overlaid on those shown.
Figure 11. MIMO Application Framework Uplink Receive Throughput Measurements
Shown below in Figure 12 is a screenshot of the base station “UL Channel” tab of the MIMO
Application Framework. In it, are plots which provide data on the uplink MIMO channel
impulse response for each mobile station in both the time and frequency domain - providing
users with immediate information on the propagation characteristics of the uplink channel.
With such data, researchers can analyze the behavior of multi-user MIMO systems under
varying channel conditions and explore the effects of new algorithms to potentially improve
the system performance under such conditions.
Figure 12. MIMO Application Framework Uplink Channel Measurements
Shown below in Figure 13 is a screenshot of the single-antenna mobile station “DL Advanced
Information” tab of the MIMO Application Framework. In it, are plots of the received DL
signal constellation and frequency response for two mobile stations wherein the first mobile
station receives a QPSK signal and the other receives a 16 QAM signal. Such data provides
an immediate indication on the performance of the DL precoding algorithm and its ability to
separate multiple spatial streams as the precoded signal propagates through the wireless
MIMO channel and is received at each single antenna mobile station free of interference.
Figure 13. MIMO Application Framework Mobile Station Downlink Received
Constellations
Although not shown, the MIMO Application Framework also provides software user
interfaces to monitor and control other aspects of the MIMO system, including the following.
o Frame structure configuration – Controls are available to select from a
variety of MCS levels for each mobile station.
o Video streaming – The MIMO Application Framework also supports an
intuitive UDP interface for the streaming of video signals or other application
data to and from mobile station.
o Data streaming diagnostics – For large antenna systems, the streaming of
data (IQ samples) from many radio heads down to a central set of FPGA’s for
MIMO processing at high rates can be very challenging. To facilitate the
rapid diagnosis of potential problems in streaming to ensure data is transferred
and processed free of errors, the MIMO Application Framework also includes
utilities to monitor the status of the many buffers throughout the system.
For detailed information and technical specifications of the MIMO Application Frameworks
features, please click on the link below entitled, "MIMO Application Framework Technical
White Paper". There, you will find information on the Host and FPGA implementation of
PHY layer algorithms including MIMO decoding & precoding, channel estimation, OFDM
modulation & demodulation, and many more. Information is also available on the
implementation of the MAC layer and the interface to external applications. This document
will assist you in better understanding the system's capabilities of and the ways in which it
can be used in your research efforts.
An evaluation version of the MIMO Application Framework is available for download at the
following website . Take a tour of the intuitive user interface and browse through the Host
and FPGA source code to learn more about the advanced real time software architecture that
makes massive MIMO possible.
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Additional Resources
Visit the following websites to learn more about NI solutions for prototyping multiuser and
massive MIMO systems.
o Intel Massive MIMO C-RAN Proof of Concept—Learn more about how Intel
has used the MIMO Prototyping System as part of its massive MIMO C-RAN
proof of concept demonstrated at the 2016 Mobile World Congress.
o The MIMO Prototyping System—Explore the MIMO Prototyping System
hardware, software, and IP. Also find an in-depth case study on the massive
MIMO project from the universities of Bristol and Lund.
o LabVIEW Communications Application Frameworks—Learn more about
other Application Frameworks for LTE and 802.11 prototyping.
o NI 5G Research—Read more about NI and other 5G research activities related
to mmWave, LTE & Wi-Fi coexistence, and more.
o LabVIEW Communications – Learn more about LabVIEW Communications
for prototyping wireless communication systems.
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