Abstract:Deep neural network (DNN)-based algorithms are emerging as an important tool for many physical and MAC layer functions in future wireless communication systems, including for large multi-antenna channels. However, training such models typically requires a large dataset of high-dimensional channel measurements, which are very difficult and expensive to obtain. This paper introduces a novel method for generating synthetic wireless channel data using diffusion-based models to produce user-specific channels that accurately reflect real-world wireless environments. Our approach employs a conditional denoising diffusion implicit models (cDDIM) framework, effectively capturing the relationship between user location and multi-antenna channel characteristics. We generate synthetic high fidelity channel samples using user positions as conditional inputs, creating larger augmented datasets to overcome measurement scarcity. The utility of this method is demonstrated through its efficacy in training various downstream tasks such as channel compression and beam alignment. Our approach significantly improves over prior methods, such as adding noise or using generative adversarial networks (GANs), especially in scenarios with limited initial measurements.
Abstract:This paper proposes and analyzes novel deep learning methods for downlink (DL) single-user multiple-input multiple-output (SU-MIMO) and multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) systems operating in time division duplex (TDD) mode. A motivating application is the 6G upper midbands (7-24 GHz), where the base station (BS) antenna arrays are large, user equipment (UE) array sizes are moderate, and theoretically optimal approaches are practically infeasible for several reasons. To deal with uplink (UL) pilot overhead and low signal power issues, we introduce the channel-adaptive pilot, as part of an analog channel state information feedback mechanism. Deep neural network (DNN)-generated pilots are used to linearly transform the UL channel matrix into lower-dimensional latent vectors. Meanwhile, the BS employs a second DNN that processes the received UL pilots to directly generate near-optimal DL precoders. The training is end-to-end which exploits synergies between the two DNNs. For MU-MIMO precoding, we propose a DNN structure inspired by theoretically optimum linear precoding. The proposed methods are evaluated against genie-aided upper bounds and conventional approaches, using realistic upper midband datasets. Numerical results demonstrate the potential of our approach to achieve significantly increased sum-rate, particularly at moderate to high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and when UL pilot overhead is constrained.