5G Massive MIMO with Digital Beamforming and
Two-Stage Channel Estimation for Low SHF Band
Shohei Yoshioka†, Satoshi Suyama, Tatsuki Okuyama, Jun Mashino, and Yukihiko Okumura
5G Laboratory, NTT DOCOMO, INC.
3-6 Hikari-no-oka, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken 239-8536 Japan
†
syouhei.yoshioka.py@nttdocomo.com
Abstract— The fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication
system will utilize higher frequency bands with wider bandwidth
for super high bit rate and large system capacity. Massive
multiple-input multiple-output (Massive MIMO) beamforming
(BF) technology has attracted much attention to compensate
larger path-loss of a disadvantage at higher frequency bands. In
low-SHF bands, approximately 100 MHz bandwidth is assumed,
thus fully-digital Massive MIMO having flexibility of BF can be
applied. In this paper, we modify joint processing of analog fixed
BF and channel state information (CSI)-based precoding (called
FBCP), which is a hybrid BF technology, to fully-digital method
(called Digital-FBCP). Although conventional studies about
Massive MIMO with BF do not take account of channel
estimation (CE) in detail, this paper describes two-stage CE
required for multi-user (MU) Massive MIMO with BF.
Throughput performance is evaluated by link level computer
simulation in consideration of the reference design and pilot
insertion loss. This paper shows that Digital-FBCP achieves
almost equal or better throughput performance than
conventional precoding (PR) without fixed BF.
Keywords—5G; Low-SHF bands; Massive MIMO; Fully-
digital beamforming; Two-stage channel estimation
I. INTRODUCTION
The traffic in mobile wireless communication has increased
significantly with the widespread use of smartphones and
changed qualitatively in association with Internet of Things
(IoT). Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced will
not be able to accommodate this trend in the near future,
thereby the fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication
system is expected to realize by 2020. Although 5G is required
to achieve super high bit rate and large system capacity [1],
frequency resources in existing frequency bands are limited.
For efficient frequency resources, 5G will utilize higher
frequency bands as low-SHF, high-SHF, and EHF with small
cells onto a macro cell of an existing cellular system [2].
5G can satisfy the demand by effective utilization of the
higher frequency bands with wider bandwidth, therefore larger
path-loss of a disadvantage at higher frequency bands has to be
compensated. Massive multiple-input multiple-output (Massive
MIMO) beamforming (BF) technology has attracted much
attention to overcome this problem and to additionally increase
the bit rate owing to spatial multiplexing [3]-[6]. In Massive
MIMO transmission, fully-digital method where digital signal
processing performs all BF processing is desirable from the
viewpoint of throughput performance. At high-SHF and EHF
bands with several hundred MHz bandwidths, however, it is
difficult to implement fully-digital method because of power
978-1-5090-5856-3/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
consumption increase and cost increase about digital-to-analog
converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converter (ADCs).
Thus, hybrid BF technologies are studied which combine
analog BF and digital precoding (PR). Joint processing of
analog fixed BF and channel state information (CSI)-based
precoding (called FBCP) is proposed as one of these methods
[5], [6].
On the other hand, Massive MIMO at low-SHF band will
use narrower bandwidth compared to that at high-SHF and
EHF bands as approximately 100 MHz. Owing to avoidance of
power consumption and DAC/ADC costs increases, fully-
digital methods having flexibility of BF and high performance
can be introduced to low-SHF band Massive MIMO. The
introduction leaves two problems of high computational
complexity for PR matrix calculation and large overhead for
uplink (UL) or downlink (DL) channel estimation (CE),
problems which have to be solved. Note that about the former,
the cube order calculation of antenna elements is required as
eigenmode (EM) transmission for single user (SU)-MIMO and
block diagonalization (BD) [7] for multi user (MU)-MIMO.
In order to solve the above two problems, in this paper, we
modify FBCP to fully-digital Massive MIMO, that is joint
processing of digital fixed BF and CSI-based precoding
(Digital-FBCP). The processing is composed of four steps:
1) Selecting and applying the digital fixed BF weight
2) Estimating the channel including the BF weight, called
beam-domain equivalent channel matrix (1st-stage CE)
3) Calculating and utilizing PR matrix from the estimated
channel at the 2nd step
4) Estimating the channel including the BF weight and the PR
matrix (2nd-stage CE); performing postcoding (PO) with
the estimated channel
Although the conventional studies about Massive MIMO with
BF as [5] do not take account of detailed CE and reference
design, this paper describes two-stage CE in consideration of
procedure and frame structure as well. Throughput
performance including the effect of two-stage CE is evaluated
by link level computer simulation. It is shown that Digital-
FBCP achieves almost equal or better throughput performance
than conventional PR without fixed BF.
The rest of this paper is organized as follows. Section II
overviews Massive MIMO transmission with Digital-FBCP
including two-stage CE. Detailed processing is shown by some
equations in Section III. Section IV shows and discusses
simulation results, and finally, Section V concludes this paper.
107
 In this paper, we assume that a base station (BS)
communicate with NU users by Massive MIMO OFDM
transmissions. The BS has NT antenna elements and generates
L beams by digital fixed BF. i(=1~NU)th user has NRi antenna
elements and the number of all users’ antennas is defined as
NR(=Σi(NRi)). The ith user receives Mi streams and the number
of all streams is defined as M(=Σi(Mi)). We define [.]T as the
transpose operator, 0a×b as the a×b zero matrix, (n) as the nth
subcarrier, and ||.|| as the Euclidean norm of the vector. W, H,
Hi, Hij, P, and Bi represent the NT×L digital fixed BF weight,
the NR×NT channel matrix between BS’s all antenna elements
and all user antennas, the NRi×NT channel matrix of ith user, the
1×NT channel vector of ith user’s jth antenna, the L×L PR
matrix, and the NRi×NRi PO matrix of ith user, respectively.
II. OVERVIEW OF MASSIVE MIMO WITH DIGITAL FBCP
Fig. 1 (a) and (b) show BS and mobile station (MS)
structures in Massive MIMO transmission with Digital FBCP,
respectively. Massive MIMO with Digital FBCP performs four
steps processing given in Section 1. The 1st step of the beam
selection is applied in order to generate lower order beams
compared to antenna elements. In other words, the digital fixed
BF treats the apparent number of antenna elements as the
number of selected beams L (≤ NT). That can reduce the
computational complexity for PR and the number of pilots for
CE. FBCP applies predetermined analog fixed BF while
Digital FBCP can flexibly design the BF weight (e.g. BF
weight selection at each sub-band). As an initial study, this
paper uses the same BF weight among all subcarriers. The 1st
step requires the discovery signal transmission about each
beam candidate. Received power of each discovery signal is
measured and W is determined based on the maximum
received power criterion.
The other steps are the processing for MIMO transmission
in the beam-domain. It is assumed that Digital FBCP utilize
EM transmission for SU case and BD for MU case. The
transmitter and receivers use the equivalent channel matrix for
PR/PO instead of the MIMO channel matrix. It is notable that
the 2nd step estimates the beam-domain equivalent channel
matrix HW, the 3rd step obtains PR matrix P by the use of the
estimated channel HW, and the 4th step estimates and uses the
equivalent channel matrix HWP for PO. The 2nd step, that is
1st-stage CE, is performed from reference signal (RS)
transmission in DL or UL (called DL/UL 1st-CE). The BS in
DL case obtains the estimation results by feedback from MSs,
while UL case utilizes the reciprocity of propagation channel in
time-division duplex (TDD) transmission.
2nd-stage CE in the 4th step also transmits RS in DL
(called 2nd-CE). The PO requires the matrix HW or HiWP and
it is difficult for each user to acquire the former since the
matrix HW contains all users’ channels. Thus, this indicates
the necessity of 2nd-CE in addition to 1st-CE. This paper
defines the RSs for DL/UL 1st-CE and 2nd-CE as DL/UL 1st-
RS and 2nd-RS. 1st-RS is orthogonally transmitted by time and
frequency-division multiplexing; however the BS transmits
2nd-RS pseudo-orthogonally by the use of the PO matrix P.
The matrix P suppresses the inter-user interference perfectly in
the ideal case. 2nd-RS transmission utilizes the orthogonality to
reduce overhead. Note that the orthogonality of 2nd-RS
depends on 1st-CE accuracy; therefore the effect of
orthogonality degradation should be evaluated.
108
L NT
Up- #1
#1 IFFT +CP DAC
Digital precoder P
converter
Digital BF W
…
…
#M
Up- #NT
IFFT +CP DAC
converter
(a) BS: Massive MIMO transmitter with Digital FBCP
#1 Down- #1
Postcoder Bi
ADC -CP FFT
converter
…
#Mi
#NRi Down-
ADC -CP FFT
converter
(b) MS: User receiver
Fig. 1. BS/MS structures in Massive MIMO with Digital FBCP
This section presents procedures and frame structures
divided into DL 1st-CE case and UL 1st-CE case. Note that
although DL/UL allocation in TDD frame structure has to be
taken into consideration, this paper studies only DL data
transmissions as an early study.
A. DL 1st-CE case
Fig. 2 shows the procedure and frame structure in DL 1st-
CE case. The discovery signals for the digital fixed BF
selection are set at the front of the procedure. The BS transmits
simultaneously the discovery signals for the multiple weight
candidates by frequency-division multiplexing in 1 OFDM
symbol. The multiplexing enables to search the optimal weight
matrix effectively. In addition, note that the weight search
needs not to execute frequently since time variation of emission
and arrival angles is expected to be extremely small.
DL 1st-RS is set to the next step. The BS transmits the L
DL 1st-RSs multiplied by the BF weight W in time and
frequency division multiplexing. Each user reverse-modulates
the received signals by the DL 1st-RS and estimates the
equivalent channel matrix HW including the BF weight. Np1 =
L/Q OFDM symbols are required when the DL 1st-RS for lth
stream is inserted at each Q subcarrier to estimate the
maximum delay wave. To decrease overhead, the Np1 OFDM
symbols for DL 1st-RS are divided into Nfr1 frames.
Interpolation using channels estimated at each Q subcarrier
obtains all subcarriers’ HW. This paper uses least squares
interpolation method to estimate channels HW at all
subcarriers [8]. When Nfr1>Np1, the same 1st-RS is inserted
several times and the estimates are averaged for noise reduction.
Before data transmissions, 2nd-RS is transmitted from the
BS to calculate the PO matrix Bi which is obtained by SVD to
the equivalent channel matrix HiWP. Since inter-user
interference has already been suppressed in HWP, 2nd-RS
needs to be orthogonalized among each user’s antennas. The
BS transmits NRi 2nd-RSs in time and frequency division
multiplexing after precoding. Each user estimates the matrix
HiWP by reverse-modulating the received signals. Np2 = NRi/Q’
OFDM symbols are required when the 2nd-RS for ith user’s
j(=1~NRi)th antenna is inserted at each Q’ subcarrier. The Np2
OFDM pilots are divided into Nfr2 frames as 1st-CE. When Q’
≠ 1, interpolation is required to obtain all subcarriers’ channels.
 BS
Discovery signal transmission
Received power feedback
Digital fixed BF weight
W selection
DL 1st-RS transmission
Estimates feedback
PR matrix P calculation DL 2nd-RS transmission
& Data transmission
(a) Procedure
Subcarrier
MS well. All users transmit UL 1st-RS about NR user antennas in
time and frequency division multiplexing. Np1 = NR/Q OFDM
Power measurement
symbols are required as the DL 1st-CE case when the UL 1st-
RS for ith user antenna is inserted at each Q subcarrier. After
Equivalent channel matrix receiving, the BS selects the digital fixed BF weight W by
HW estimation
multiplying the received signals by the weight candidates.
(only MU transmission) Then, the BS multiplies the received signals by the BF weight
Equivalent channel matrix
WT and estimates the transposed matrix WTHT at each Q
HWP estimation subcarrier including the BF weight. The same interpolation as
PO application that in DL 1st-CE case obtains all subcarriers’ HW. Dividing
Np1 OFDM symbols and inserting the same 1st-RS in Nfr1>Np1
are considered as DL 1st-CE case.

…
…
…

…
…

2nd-RS transmission for PO matrix Bi calculation is the

… … … … … … same as that in DL 1st-CE case. The only difference compared
to DL 1st-CE is that SU case also requires 2nd-CE. The user
…

…
…

…
…
…

… … … … … …
does not have HW to calculate Bi by SVD.
…

…
…

OFDM III. DETAILED SIGNAL PROCESSING

Q Q’ … … … … symbol

NφNθ/N Np1/Nfr1 Np2/Nfr2 Data Np1/Nfr1 Np2/Nfr2

A. Signal Model
Discovery
signals
DL
1st-RS
2nd-RS
(MU)
Transmit/receive antennas are uniform planar array as
shown in Fig. 4. Δx and Δz in Fig. 4 represent the distance
(b) Frame structure
between antenna elements for azimuth and elevation,
Fig. 2. Procedure and frame structure in DL 1st-CE case
respectively.  and θ express the emission (arrival) azimuth and
BS MS elevation, respectively. The BS multiplies M stream symbols
UL 1st-RS transmission
Digital fixed BF weight
by precoding matrix at each subcarrier and obtains L (≥ M)
W selection symbols, before IFFT to convert the L symbols to at once time-
Equivalent channel matrix
HW estimation
and beam-domain signals. Digital fixed BF is applied to the
DL 2nd-RS transmission
PR matrix P calculation & Data transmission time-domain signals. After DAC and up-convert to the NT
Equivalent channel matrix
HWP estimation signals, the BS transmits the signals from NT antenna elements.
PO application Each MS applies down-convert and then ADC to the received
(a) Procedure signals before FFT to convert to frequency-domain symbols.
Subcarrier Postcoding matrix is multiplied to the symbols at each
subcarrier and each MS obtains Mi stream symbols.
…
…
…

…
…

… … … … …
When ri(n) denotes the NRi×1 received symbol vector at nth
subcarrier of ith user and yi(n) represents the NRi×1 symbol
…

…
…
…

vector after postcoding to ri(n), all users’ received symbols and

… … … … …
yi(n) are given as
…

…
…

OFDM
Q Q’ … … … … symbol ri (n)  H i (n) WP(n)s(n)  z i (n) , (1)
Np1/Nfr1 Np2/Nfr2 Data Np1/Nfr1 Np2/Nfr2
DL1st-RS 2nd-RS
y i ( n)  B i ( n)ri ( n) , (2)
(b) Frame structure respectively. zi(n) denotes the NRi×1 noise vector. s(n) is the
Fig. 3. Procedure and frame structure in UL 1st-CE case L×1 transmit symbol vector given as
However, least squares interpolation cannot be applied. This is
due to the widespread impulse response unlike the beam- 
s(n)  d T (n) 0 T( LM )1 T

, (3)
 d  
domain equivalent precoding matrix HW; therefore this paper T T
uses rectangle interpolation. When Q’ = 1 and Nfr2>Np2, 1 (n)  d TN U (n) 0 T( LM )1
conversely, the same 2nd-RS is inserted several times and the
where di(n) represents the Mi×1 data-modulated vector.
estimates are averaged for noise reduction as 1st-CE. Note that
Subsection III-B describes W in detail. The L×L PR matrix
the MS in SU case can calculate the PO matrix by SVD to HW
P(n) and the NRi×NRi PO matrix Bi(n) are calculated by EM or
estimated in DL 1st-CE, thereby 2nd-CE is not required. The
BD. The above processing enables EM transmission at each
MS in SU case has the whole equivalent channel matrix HW
user. Note that W selection and two-stage CE to calculate P(n)
after 1st-CE while each MS in MU case can obtain only a part
and Bi(n) are the important factors which influence the
of HW.
transmission performance in Digital FBCP.
B. UL 1st-CE case
B. Digital Fixed-Beamforming
Fig. 3 describes the procedure and frame structure in UL
This subsection describes the generation formula of digital
1st-CE case. In UL 1st-CE case, the BS can execute the digital
fixed BF weight and the selection method. Digital FBCP
fixed BF selection and 1st-CE from the same UL 1st-RS. In
utilizes the NT×1 steering vector of
other words, UL 1st-RS takes a role of discovery signals as

109
 z w L  w L 1    w 1 . (9)
DL 1st-RS is transmitted using the selected W and without

PR/PO. DL 1st-RSs for lth BF weight vector wl are mapped at
fl(k)={(k1)Q+(l mod Q); k=1~N/Q} subcarriers. N represents
y the number of active subcarriers. The DL 1st-RS p1RS(fl(k)) is
x  received as
z r ( f l (k ))  H( f l (k ))w l p1RS ( f l (k ))  z ( f l (k )) . (10)
x Eq. (10) represents the signals at discrete subcarriers, thereby
interpolation is essential to obtain all subcarriers’ equivalent
Fig. 4. Uniform planar array channel.

w (, ) 
1

w eT1 (, )  w eN
T
(, )
T
 2nd-RS transmission is executed applying PR after 1st-CE.
The 2nd-RSs for ith user’s j(=1~NRi)th antenna are mapped at
NT
Tz

 , (4) gj(k)={(k1)Q’+(j mod Q’); k=1~N/Q’} subcarriers. The 2nd-

 enz  
w (, )  exp  jW (, ) exp  jW
1,nz NTx ,nz (, )    T
RS p2RS, i(gj(k)) for ith user is received as

as the digital fixed BF weight. NTx and NTz denote the number   
 
of horizontal/vertical antenna elements, respectively.   0( j 1)1  
Wnx,nz() in Eq. (4) represents the amount of phase rotation  
given as r ( g j (k ))  H ( g j (k )) WP( g j (k ))   p2 RS, i ( g j (k ))   z ( g j (k )) .(11)
 
  0( NRi  j )1  
2  
Wnx ,nz (, )  (n x x cos  sin   n z z cos ) , (5)   

Once again, it is impossible to apply complicated interpolation
at nx(=1~NTx)th and nz(=1~NTz)th element of UPA. λ is the to the estimated channel in 2nd-CE. This paper uses the
carrier wavelength. Beam selection in Digital FBCP sets rectangle interpolation as the method for 2nd-CE.
{w(nΔ, nΔ); n=0~N, n=0~N} as beam candidates.
D. BF Weight Search and Two-stage CE in UL 1st-CE case
Discretized azimuth Δ and elevation Δ in Eq. (4) generate
the candidates w(nΔ, nΔ). The number of candidates for On the other hand, in UL 1st-CE case, all users transmit UL
azimuth N= 180/Δand the number of candidates for azimuth 1st-RS from NR antennas without any precoding. The UL 1st-
N= 180/Δ, thus the number of digital fixed BF weight RS is used for the digital BF weight search and 1st-CE. UL 1st-
candidates is NN. When wl describes the NT×1 steering vector RS from ith user’s j(=1~NRi)th antenna is mapped at
to generate l(=1~L)th beam, digital fixed BF weight matrix W fij(k)=[(k1)Q+{(Σm=1~i1(NRm)+j) mod Q}; k=1~N/Q ]
of the following equation: subcarriers. The UL 1st-RS p1RS(fij(k)) is received as

W  w 1  w L  , (6) rUL ( fij (k ))  HijT ( fij (k )) p1RS ( fij (k ))  z UL ( fij (k )) . (12)

is determined based on the maximum received SNR criterion. where zUL(n) is the NT×1 noise vector at nth subcarrier. The BS
multiplies the received signals by a weight candidate
C. BF Weight Search and Two-stage CE in DL 1st-CE case wT(n,n) and measures the SNR. Then, L digital fixed
In DL 1st-CE case, the BF weight is searched from the DL BF weight vectors are determined based on Eq. (7), (9), and
discovery signals. n(n, n) represents the allocated subcarrier
in order to measure the received beam power generated by n opt
 , nopt  
w(nΔ, nΔ). The BS does not execute the precoding (i.e.
wT n, n
2
does not multiply the PR matrix P(n(n, n)) in Eq. (1)) to .(13)
 arg max  j , k
discovery signal pds(n(n, n)) for the candidate w(nΔ, nΔ).
The BS multiplies a weight candidate vector w(n,n) and
i , n , n H ( f (k )) p
T
ij ij 1RS 
( fij (k ))  z UL ( fij (k ))
then transmits the signals to all users’ receive antennas. Each Then, the BS estimates WTHijT(fij(k)) by multiplying the same
user does not perform PO Bi(n(n, n)) in Eq. (2) and measures received signals by the selected BF weight. Since the estimated
the received power. After power feedback, different L digital channels are at discrete subcarriers, the same interpolation as
fixed BF weight vectors are selected in descending order of the that in DL 1st-CE is applied to obtain all subcarriers’
power as equivalent channel. Note that 2nd-RS transmission is the same

w l  w nopt , nopt  ,  (7)
as that in DL 1st-CE case.
IV. COMPUTER SIMULATION
nopt
 
, n  opt
 A. Computer Simulation Conditions
H n(n , n )wn , n  p n(n , n )
2
i     ds  
, (8) Table I shows the computer simulation conditions. Massive
 arg max
 z n(n , n )
MIMO BS transmits signals with NT = 128 antenna elements.
i ,n ,n i   In MU transmissions, NU = 8 users communicate with the BS

110
simultaneously and each user receives Mi = 2 streams with NRi TABLE I. SIMULATION CONDITIONS
= 2 antennas. A user in SU case has NRi = 16 antennas and Transmission scheme Massive MIMO OFDM DL
receives M = 16 streams. Both of the BS and users utilize UPA. Center frequency 5.2 GHz (Bandwidth: 100 MHz)
The users are arranged on the same circle with angular interval No. of active subcarriers 1200 (No. of FFT/IFFT points: 2048)
U (= i+1  i) = 10 deg., where i gives ith user’s average No. of antenna elements NT: 128 (=horizontal 16×vertical 8)
NRi: 16 (=horizontal 4×vertical 4) in SU case
departure angle of azimuth and the average value of i = 90 deg.
2 (=horizontal 2×vertical 1) in MU case
Search interval of digital fixed BF weight (ΔΔis set to (5 Antenna spacing Transmitter: 0.5λ, Receiver: 1λ
deg., 10 deg.). The transmission does not use rank adaptation No. of users NU 1, 8
and applies the optimal adaptive modulation and coding User angular interval U 10 deg.
(AMC). We assume light-of-sight (LOS) environment of the No. of total streams M 16
16-path Nakagami-Rice fading channel with Rician factor K = No. of beams L 16, 32, 48, 64
10dB. Time variation of the channel is not taken into account Beam search interval (Δ, Δ) (5 deg., 10 deg.)
in throughput measurement. Antenna directionality pattern is Data modulation QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM (w/ AMC)
ideal and inter-component mutual coupling is ignored. Channel coding Turbo cording with R = 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 (w/ AMC)
Throughput does not include discovery signal overhead for MIMO channel Kronecker model [9]
digital fixed BF weight search. Power angular spectrum Azimuth: Gaussian, Elevation: Laplacian [10]
Average angle Departure: (i deg., 90 deg.)
A frame length is set to 14 OFDM symbols and 1st/2nd- (azimuth, elevation) Arrival: (90 deg., 90 deg.)
RSs are divided into Nfr1 = Nfr2 = 8 frames. 1st-RS is inserted at Angular spread Departure: (5 deg., 5 deg.)
each Q = 8 subcarrier, thereby Np1 = 4 in Digital FBCP (L = (azimuth, elevation) Arrival: (40 deg., 40 deg.)
32) and Np1 = 16 in BD for instance. Table II shows the number Fading 16-path exponential decay power delay profiles
Nakagami-Rice fading with K = 10 dB
of RSs, insertion loss, and averaging times of the channel
evaluates about all cases evaluated in this section. Note that we TABLE II. PARAMETERS FOR TWO-STAGE CE
assume quasi-static environment and thus do not consider the PR NU 1st-CE For 1st-CE For 2nd-CE
doppler effect. L Link Np1 Overhead Averaging Np2 Overhead Averaging
Digital 32 8 DL 4 1 2 2 1 4
B. Simulation results FBCP UL 2 1 4 2 1 4
1 DL 4 1 2
Fig. 5 shows the throughput performance of Digital FBCP
16 8 DL 2 1 4 2 1 4
with DL 1st-CE in NU = 8. For comparison, throughputs of BD 64 8 DL 8 1 1 2 1 4
(without fixed BF) are presented in Fig. 5 as well. From Fig. 5, EM/BD 8 DL 16 2 1 2 1 4
it can be seen that Digital FBCP with two-stage CE obtains UL 2 1 4 2 1 4
better throughput performance compared to that of BD. This is 1 DL 16 2 1
due to less overhead and higher CE accuracy by averaging the The throughput performance of Digital FBCP with UL 1st-
estimates. Digital FBCP can achieve 5 Gbps throughput at CE in NU = 8 is shown in Fig. 7. Since MS’s transmit power is
SNR ≤ 18dB which is about 9dB better than BD. Including the limited, we assume that the fixed digital BF weight selection
advantage of less complexity for precoding matrix calculation, and 1st-CE are executed at 3 dB less than the average SNR of
our proposed method is better than the conventional scheme. It the horizontal axis in Fig. 7. It can be seen that Digital FBCP
is also shown in Fig. 5 that ideal 1st-CE case keeps the obtains almost the same throughput performance as BD in UL
throughput performance and ideal 2nd-CE degrades compared 1st-CE case. There is no advantage of overhead and CE
to ideal CE case. The throughput performance of ideal 2nd-CE accuracy compared with BD since the required number of RS
case is almost the same as that of two-stage CE case. Thus, 1st- does not depend on NT or L but on NR. However, Digital FBCP
CE accuracy is dominant to the performance and improving the still has the advantage of less complexity for precoding matrix
accuracy is required to achieve better throughput. Note that calculation. Compared to DL 1st-CE case in Fig. 5, the
2nd-CE do not apply the interpolation because of enough throughput performance is almost the same as well. Digital
resource for 2nd-RS transmission and the interpolation case in FBCP with UL 1st-CE has the disadvantage of the limited
2nd-CE has to be studied. transmit power while that can estimate the channel in higher
Fig. 6 describes the impact of the number of beams L in accuracy. When the limited power is larger, DL 1st-CE case
Digital FBCP with DL 1st-CE. Digital FBCP with L = 32 is the might obtain better throughput performance.
same performances as those in Fig. 5. It can be seen that Fig. 8 describes the throughput performance of Digital
Digital FBCP with L = 32, 64 present similar throughput FBCP with DL 1st-CE in NU = 1. For comparison, EM without
performance while with L = 16 degrades significantly. In L = fixed BF with DL 1st-CE is shown in Fig. 8. It can be seen that
32, the higher CE accuracy by averaging the estimates Digital FBCP presents better throughput performance
compensates the less number of fixed beams. In L = 16, lack of compared with EM. This is due to the same factors as MU case
flexibility for the orthogonalization causes the throughput and the large number of streams for a user. The fixed BF
degradation. Digital FBCP with L ≥ 32 can obtain enough increases the higher eigenvalue, which brings the improvement
flexibility compared to BD without BF. Since complexity for at lower CE accuracy. In the SU case, the difference among the
precoding matrix calculation has to be taken into account, it eigenvalues is larger than the MU case, thereby the
seems that L should be set to 32 in Digital FBCP. improvement is particularly notable in Fig. 8.
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper, we studied low SHF band Massive MIMO
with fully-digital BF method, namely Digital FBCP. Digital

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FBCP applies digital fixed BF and then DP to beam-domain 8
signals. This paper describes two-stage CE as well, considering NT = 128, M = 16, L = 32
procedure and frame structure. Throughput performance was 7 1 user
evaluated by link level computer simulation and we showed LOS channel, K = 10 dB

Total throughput (Gbps)

that Digital-FBCP achieves almost equal or better throughput 6
performance than conventional DP without fixed BF.
5
8 BD Digital
NT = 128, M = 16, L = 32 Digital FBCP 4 FBCP
7 8 users, U = 10 deg.
LOS channel, K = 10 dB 3
Total throughput (Gbps)

6
2
5
BD 1 Two-stage CE
4 Ideal CE
0
3 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Average SNR (dB)
2 Two-stage CE Fig. 8. Troughput with DL/UL 1st-CE (NU = 1)
Ideal CE
1 Ideal 1st-CE
Ideal 2nd-CE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 This paper includes a part of results of "The research and
Average SNR (dB)
Fig. 5. Total throughput with DL 1st-CE (NU = 8) development project for realization of the fifth-generation
8 mobile communications system" commissioned by The
NT = 128, M = 16 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan.
7 8 users, U = 10 deg. References
LOS channel, K = 10 dB
Total throughput (Gbps)

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Fig. 7. Total throughput with UL 1st-CE (NU = 8)

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