A Scalable Architecture for Future Regenerative Satellite Payloads

This paper addresses the limitations of current satellite payload architectures, which are predominantly hardware-driven and lack the flexibility to adapt to increasing data demands and uneven traffic. To overcome these challenges, we present a novel architecture for future regenerative and programmable satellite payloads and utilize interconnected modem banks to promote higher scalability and flexibility. We formulate an optimization problem to efficiently manage traffic among these modem banks and balance the load. Additionally, we provide comparative numerical simulation results, considering end-to-end delay and packet loss analysis. The results illustrate that our proposed architecture maintains lower delays and packet loss even with higher traffic demands and smaller buffer sizes.

SAGE-HB: Swift Adaptation and Generalization in Massive MIMO Hybrid Beamforming

Deep learning (DL)-based solutions have emerged as promising candidates for beamforming in massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (mMIMO) systems. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to seamlessly adapt these solutions to practical deployment scenarios, typically necessitating extensive data for fine-tuning while grappling with domain adaptation and generalization issues. In response, we propose a novel approach combining Meta-Learning Domain Generalization (MLDG) with novel data augmentation techniques during fine-tuning. This approach not only accelerates adaptation to new channel environments but also significantly reduces the data requirements for fine-tuning, thereby enhancing the practicality and efficiency of DL-based mMIMO systems. The proposed approach is validated by simulating the performance of a backbone model when deployed in a new channel environment, and with different antenna configurations, path loss, and base station height parameters. Our proposed approach demonstrates superior zero-shot performance compared to existing methods and also achieves near-optimal performance with significantly fewer fine-tuning data samples.

Evolution of High Throughput Satellite Systems: Vision, Requirements, and Key Technologies

High throughput satellites (HTS), with their digital payload technology, are expected to play a key role as enablers of the upcoming 6G networks. HTS are mainly designed to provide higher data rates and capacities. Fueled by technological advancements including beamforming, advanced modulation techniques, reconfigurable phased array technologies, and electronically steerable antennas, HTS have emerged as a fundamental component for future network generation. This paper offers a comprehensive state-of-the-art of HTS systems, with a focus on standardization, patents, channel multiple access techniques, routing, load balancing, and the role of software-defined networking (SDN). In addition, we provide a vision for next-satellite systems that we named as extremely-HTS (EHTS) toward autonomous satellites supported by the main requirements and key technologies expected for these systems. The EHTS system will be designed such that it maximizes spectrum reuse and data rates, and flexibly steers the capacity to satisfy user demand. We introduce a novel architecture for future regenerative payloads while summarizing the challenges imposed by this architecture.

Learning Energy-Efficient Hardware Configurations for Massive MIMO Beamforming

Hybrid beamforming (HBF) and antenna selection are promising techniques for improving the energy efficiency~(EE) of massive multiple-input multiple-output~(mMIMO) systems. However, the transmitter architecture may contain several parameters that need to be optimized, such as the power allocated to the antennas and the connections between the antennas and the radio frequency chains. Therefore, finding the optimal transmitter architecture requires solving a non-convex mixed integer problem in a large search space. In this paper, we consider the problem of maximizing the EE of fully digital precoder~(FDP) and hybrid beamforming~(HBF) transmitters. First, we propose an energy model for different beamforming structures. Then, based on the proposed energy model, we develop an unsupervised deep learning method to maximize the EE by designing the transmitter configuration for FDP and HBF. The proposed deep neural networks can provide different trade-offs between spectral efficiency and energy consumption while adapting to different numbers of active users. Finally, to ensure that the proposed method can be implemented in practice, we investigate the ability of the model to be trained exclusively using imperfect channel state information~(CSI), both for the input to the deep learning model and for the calculation of the loss function. Simulation results show that the proposed solutions can outperform conventional methods in terms of EE while being trained with imperfect CSI. Furthermore, we show that the proposed solutions are less complex and more robust to noise than conventional methods.

Flexible Unsupervised Learning for Massive MIMO Subarray Hybrid Beamforming

Hybrid beamforming is a promising technology to improve the energy efficiency of massive MIMO systems. In particular, subarray hybrid beamforming can further decrease power consumption by reducing the number of phase-shifters. However, designing the hybrid beamforming vectors is a complex task due to the discrete nature of the subarray connections and the phase-shift amounts. Finding the optimal connections between RF chains and antennas requires solving a non-convex problem in a large search space. In addition, conventional solutions assume that perfect CSI is available, which is not the case in practical systems. Therefore, we propose a novel unsupervised learning approach to design the hybrid beamforming for any subarray structure while supporting quantized phase-shifters and noisy CSI. One major feature of the proposed architecture is that no beamforming codebook is required, and the neural network is trained to take into account the phase-shifter quantization. Simulation results show that the proposed deep learning solutions can achieve higher sum-rates than existing methods.

RSSI-Based Hybrid Beamforming Design with Deep Learning

Hybrid beamforming is a promising technology for 5G millimetre-wave communications. However, its implementation is challenging in practical multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems because non-convex optimization problems have to be solved, introducing additional latency and energy consumption. In addition, the channel-state information (CSI) must be either estimated from pilot signals or fed back through dedicated channels, introducing a large signaling overhead. In this paper, a hybrid precoder is designed based only on received signal strength indicator (RSSI) feedback from each user. A deep learning method is proposed to perform the associated optimization with reasonable complexity. Results demonstrate that the obtained sum-rates are very close to the ones obtained with full-CSI optimal but complex solutions. Finally, the proposed solution allows to greatly increase the spectral efficiency of the system when compared to existing techniques, as minimal CSI feedback is required.