Diversity and Multiplexing:

A Fundamental Tradeoff in Wireless Systems

David Tse
Department of EECS, U.C. Berkeley

April 14, 2003

DIMACS
 Wireless Fading Channels

• Fundamental characteristic of wireless channels: multi-path fading.

• Two important resources of a fading channel: diversity and

degrees of freedom.
 Wireless Fading Channels

• Fundamental characteristic of wireless channels: multi-path fading.

• Two important resources of a fading channel: diversity and
degrees of freedom.
 Diversity

Channel Quality

A channel with more diversity has smaller probability in deep fades.

 Example: Spatial Diversity

Fading Channel: h 1

• Additional independent fading channels increase diversity.

• Spatial diversity: receive, transmit or both.
• Repeat and Average: compensate against channel unreliability.
 Example: Spatial Diversity

Fading Channel: h 1

Fading Channel: h 2

• Additional independent fading channels increase diversity.

• Spatial diversity: receive, transmit or both.
• Repeat and Average: compensate against channel unreliability.
 Example: Spatial Diversity

Fading Channel: h 1

Fading Channel: h 2

• Additional independent fading channels increase diversity.

• Spatial diversity : receive, transmit or both.
• Repeat and Average: compensate against channel unreliability.
 Example: Spatial Diversity

Fading Channel: h 1

Fading Channel: h 2

• Additional independent fading channels increase diversity.

• Spatial diversity: receive, transmit or both.
• Repeat and Average: compensate against channel unreliability.
 Example: Spatial Diversity

Fading Channel: h 1

Fading Channel: h 2

Fading Channel: h 3

Fading Channel: h 4

• Additional independent fading channels increase diversity.

• Spatial diversity: receive, transmit or both.
• Repeat and Average: compensate against channel unreliability.
 Example: Spatial Diversity

Fading Channel: h 1

Fading Channel: h 2

Fading Channel: h 3

Fading Channel: h 4

• Additional independent fading channels increase diversity.

• Spatial diversity: receive, transmit or both.
• Repeat and Average: compensate against channel unreliability.
 Degrees of Freedom

y2

y1

Signals arrive in multiple directions provide multiple degrees of freedom

for communication.

Same effect can be obtained via scattering even when antennas are
close together.
 Degrees of Freedom

y2

Signature 1

y1

Signals arrive in multiple directions provide multiple degrees of freedom

for communication.

Same effect can be obtained via scattering even when antennas are
close together.
 Degrees of Freedom

y2

Signature 1

y1

Signature 2

Signals arrive in multiple directions provide multiple degrees of freedom

for communication.

Same effect can be obtained via scattering even when antennas are
close together.
 Degrees of Freedom

y2 Signature 1
Signature 2

y1

Signals arrive in multiple directions provide multiple degrees of freedom

for communication.

Same effect can be obtained via scattering even when antennas are
close together.
 Degrees of Freedom

y2

Signature 1
Fading
Environment y1

Signature 2

Signals arrive in multiple directions provide multiple degrees of freedom

for communication.

Same effect can be obtained via scattering even when antennas are
close together.
 Diversity vs. Multiplexing

Fading Channel: h 1

Spatial Channel
Fading Channel: h 2

Spatial Channel
Fading Channel: h 3

Fading Channel: h 4

The two resources have been considered mainly in isolation: existing

schemes focus on maximizing either the diversity gain or the
multiplexing gain.
The right way of looking at the problem is a tradeoff between the two
types of gain.
The optimal tradeoff achievable by a coding scheme gives a
fundamental performance limit on communication over fading channels.
 Diversity vs. Multiplexing

Fading Channel: h 1

Spatial Channel
Fading Channel: h 2

Spatial Channel
Fading Channel: h 3

Fading Channel: h 4

The two resources have been considered mainly in isolation: existing

schemes focus on maximizing either the diversity gain or the
multiplexing gain.
The right way of looking at the problem is a tradeoff between the two
types of gain.
The optimal tradeoff achievable by a coding scheme gives a
fundamental performance limit on communication over fading channels.
 Diversity vs. Multiplexing

Fading Channel: h 1

Spatial Channel
Fading Channel: h 2

Spatial Channel
Fading Channel: h 3

Fading Channel: h 4

The two resources have been considered mainly in isolation: existing

schemes focus on maximizing either the diversity gain or the
multiplexing gain.
The right way of looking at the problem is a tradeoff between the two
types of gain.
The optimal tradeoff achievable by a coding scheme gives a
fundamental performance limit on communication over fading channels.
 Talk Outline

• point-to-point MIMO channels

• multiple access MIMO channels
• cooperative relaying systems
 Point-to-point MIMO Channel

w1
y1

h11
x1
w2
y2
x2 h22

hn1
xm
hnm wn
yn

yt = Ht xt + wt , wt ∼ CN (0, 1)

• Rayleigh flat fading i.i.d. across antenna pairs (hij ∼ CN (0, 1)).
• SNR is the average signal-to-noise ratio at each receive antenna.
 Coherent Block Fading Model

• Focus on codes over l symbols, where H remains constant.

• H is known to the receiver but not the transmitter.
• Assumption valid as long as

l ¿ coherence time × coherence bandwidth.

 Space-Time Block Code

Y = HX + W

time

Y H X W

mxl
space

Focus on coding over a single block of length l.

 Diversity Gain

Motivation: Binary Detection

y = hx + w Pe ≈ P (khk is small ) ∝ SNR−1


y1 = h1 x + w1  Pe ≈ P (kh1 k, kh2 k are both small)
y2 = h2 x + w2  ∝ SNR−2

Definition
A space-time coding scheme achieves diversity gain d, if

Pe (SNR) ∼ SNR−d
 Diversity Gain

Motivation: Binary Detection

y = hx + w Pe ≈ P (khk is small ) ∝ SNR−1


y1 = h1 x + w1  Pe ≈ P (kh1 k, kh2 k are both small)
y2 = h2 x + w2  ∝ SNR−2

General Definition
A space-time coding scheme achieves diversity gain d, if

Pe (SNR) ∼ SNR−d
 Spatial Multiplexing Gain

Motivation: Channel capacity (Telatar ’95, Foschini’96)

C(SNR) ≈ min{m, n} log SNR(bps/Hz)

min{m, n} degrees of freedom to communicate.

Definition A space-time coding scheme achieves spatial multiplexing

gain r, if

R(SNR) = r log SNR(bps/Hz)

 Spatial Multiplexing Gain

Motivation: Channel capacity (Telatar’ 95, Foschini’96)

C(SNR) ≈ min{m, n} log SNR(bps/Hz)

min{m, n} degrees of freedom to communicate.

Definition A space-time coding scheme achieves spatial multiplexing

gain r, if

R(SNR) = r log SNR(bps/Hz)

 Fundamental Tradeoff

A space-time coding scheme achieves

Spatial Multiplexing Gain r : R = r log SNR (bps/Hz)

and
Diversity Gain d : Pe ≈ SNR−d

Fundamental tradeoff: for any r, the maximum diversity gain

achievable: d∗m,n (r).

r → d∗m,n (r)

A tradeoff between data rate and error probability.

 Fundamental Tradeoff

A space-time coding scheme achieves

Spatial Multiplexing Gain r : R = r log SNR (bps/Hz)

and
Diversity Gain d : Pe ≈ SNR−d

Fundamental tradeoff: for any r, the maximum diversity gain

achievable: d∗m,n (r).

r → d∗m,n (r)

A tradeoff between data rate and error probability.

 Fundamental Tradeoff

A space-time coding scheme achieves

Spatial Multiplexing Gain r : R = r log SNR (bps/Hz)

and
Diversity Gain d : Pe ≈ SNR−d

Fundamental tradeoff: for any r, the maximum diversity gain

achievable: d∗m,n (r).

r → d∗m,n (r)

A tradeoff between data rate and error probability.

 Main Result: Optimal Tradeoff

(Zheng and Tse 02)

m: # of Tx. Ant. (0,mn)

n: # of Rx. Ant.
l: block length
l ≥m+n−1

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:
d: diversity gain
Pe ≈ SNR−d

r: multiplexing gain
R = r log SNR (min{m,n},0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For integer r, it is as though r transmit and r receive antennas were

dedicated for multiplexing and the rest provide diversity.
 Main Result: Optimal Tradeoff

(Zheng and Tse 02)

m: # of Tx. Ant. (0,mn)

n: # of Rx. Ant.
l: block length
(1,(m−1)(n−1))
l ≥m+n−1

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:
d: diversity gain
Pe ≈ SNR−d

r: multiplexing gain
R = r log SNR (min{m,n},0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For integer r, it is as though r transmit and r receive antennas were

dedicated for multiplexing and the rest provide diversity.
 Main Result: Optimal Tradeoff

(Zheng and Tse 02)

m: # of Tx. Ant. (0,mn)

n: # of Rx. Ant.
l: block length
(1,(m−1)(n−1))
l ≥m+n−1

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:
d: diversity gain (2, (m−2)(n−2))

Pe ≈ SNR−d

r: multiplexing gain
R = r log SNR (min{m,n},0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For integer r, it is as though r transmit and r receive antennas were

dedicated for multiplexing and the rest provide diversity.
 Main Result: Optimal Tradeoff

(Zheng and Tse 02)

m: # of Tx. Ant. (0,mn)

n: # of Rx. Ant.
l: block length
(1,(m−1)(n−1))
l ≥m+n−1

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:
d: diversity gain (2, (m−2)(n−2))

Pe ≈ SNR−d
(r, (m−r)(n−r))

r: multiplexing gain
R = r log SNR (min{m,n},0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For integer r, it is as though r transmit and r receive antennas were

dedicated for multiplexing and the rest provide diversity.
 Main Result: Optimal Tradeoff

(Zheng and Tse 02)

m: # of Tx. Ant. (0,mn)

n: # of Rx. Ant.
l: block length
(1,(m−1)(n−1))
l ≥m+n−1

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:
d: diversity gain (2, (m−2)(n−2))

Pe ≈ SNR−d
(r, (m−r)(n−r))

r: multiplexing gain
R = r log SNR (min{m,n},0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For integer r, it is as though r transmit and r receive antennas were

dedicated for multiplexing and the rest provide diversity.
 Main Result: Optimal Tradeoff

(Zheng and Tse 02)

m: # of Tx. Ant. (0,mn)

n: # of Rx. Ant.
l: block length Multiple Antenna
l ≥m+n−1 m x n channel

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:
d: diversity gain
Pe ≈ SNR−d
(r, (m−r)(n−r))

r: multiplexing gain Single Antenna

R = r log SNR 1 channel (min{m,n},0)

1
Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For integer r, it is as though r transmit and r receive antennas were

dedicated for multiplexing and the rest provide diversity.
What do I get by adding one more antenna at the
transmitter and the receiver?
 Adding More Antennas

m: # of Tx. Ant.
n: # of Rx. Ant.

d*(r)
l: block length

Diversity Advantage:
l ≥m+n−1

d: diversity gain

r: multiplexing gain

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

• Capacity result: increasing min{m, n} by 1 adds 1 more degree of

freedom.
• Tradeoff curve: increasing both m and n by 1 yields multiplexing
gain +1 for any diversity requirement d.
 Adding More Antennas

m: # of Tx. Ant.
n: # of Rx. Ant.

d*(r)
l: block length

Diversity Advantage:
l ≥m+n−1

d: diversity gain

r: multiplexing gain

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

• Capacity result : increasing min{m, n} by 1 adds 1 more degree of

freedom.
• Tradeoff curve : increasing both m and n by 1 yields multiplexing
gain +1 for any diversity requirement d.
 Adding More Antennas

m: # of Tx. Ant.
n: # of Rx. Ant.

d*(r)
l: block length

Diversity Advantage:
l ≥m+n−1

d: diversity gain
d

r: multiplexing gain

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

• Capacity result: increasing min{m, n} by 1 adds 1 more degree of

freedom.
• Tradeoff curve: increasing both m and n by 1 yields multiplexing
gain +1 for any diversity requirement d.
 Sketch of Proof

Lemma:

For block length l ≥ m + n − 1, the error probability of the best code

satisfies at high SNR:

Pe (SNR) ≈ P (Outage) = P (I(H) < R)

where

I(H) = log det [I + SNRHH∗ ]

is the mutual information achieved by the i.i.d. Gaussian input.

 Outage Analysis

P (Outage) = P {log det[I + SNRHH† ] < R}

• In scalar 1 × 1 channel, outage occurs when the channel gain khk2

is small.
• In general m × n channel, outage occurs when some or all of the
singular values of H are small. There are many ways for this to
happen.
• Let v = vector of singular values of H:
Laplace Principle:

P (Outage) ≈ min SNR−f (v)

v∈Out
 Outage Analysis

P (Outage) = P {log det[I + SNRHH† ] < R}

• In scalar 1 × 1 channel, outage occurs when the channel gain khk2

is small.
• In general m × n channel, outage occurs when some or all of the
singular values of H are small. There are many ways for this to
happen.
• Let v = vector of singular values of H:
Laplace Principle:

P (Outage) ≈ min SNR−f (v)

v∈Out
 Outage Analysis

P (Outage) = P {log det[I + SNRHH† ] < R}

• In scalar 1 × 1 channel, outage occurs when the channel gain khk2

is small.
• In general m × n channel, outage occurs when some or all of the
singular values of H are small. There are many ways for this to
happen.
• Let v = vector of singular values of H:
Laplace Principle:

P (Outage) ≈ min SNR−f (v)

v∈Out
 Geometric Picture (integer r)
Scalar Channel

Result: At rate R = r log SNR, for r integer, outage occurs typically

when H is in or close to the set {H : rank(H) ≤ r}, with ²2 = SNR−1 .
The dimension of the normal space to the sub-manifold of rank r
matrices within the set of all M × N matrices is (M − r)(N − r).

P (Outage) ≈ SNR−(M −r)(N −r)

 Geometric Picture (integer r)
Scalar Channel

Bad H Good H

Result: At rate R = r log SNR, for r integer, outage occurs typically

when H is close to the set {H : rank(H) ≤ r}, with ²2 = SNR−1 .
The dimension of the normal space to the sub-manifold of rank r
matrices within the set of all M × N matrices is (M − r)(N − r).

P (Outage) ≈ SNR−(M −r)(N −r)

 Geometric Picture (integer r)
Scalar Channel Vector Channel

All n x m Matrices

Bad H Good H

Rank(H)=r

Result: At rate R = r log SNR, for r integer, outage occurs typically

when H is close to the set {H : rank(H) ≤ r}, with ²2 = SNR−1 .
The co-dimension of the manifold of rank r matrices within the set of
all m × n matrices is (m − r)(n − r).

P (Outage) ≈ SNR−(M −r)(N −r)

 Geometric Picture (integer r)
Scalar Channel Vector Channel
Typical Bad H

Good H
Full Rank
Bad H Good H

ε Rank(H)=r

Result: At rate R = r log SNR, for r integer, outage occurs typically

when H is close to the set {H : rank(H) ≤ r}, with ²2 = SNR−1 .
The co-dimension of the manifold of rank r matrices within the set of
all m × n matrices is (m − r)(n − r).

P (Outage) ≈ SNR−(M −r)(N −r)

 Geometric Picture (integer r)
Scalar Channel Vector Channel
Typical Bad H

Good H
Full Rank
Bad H Good H

ε Rank(H)=r

Result: At rate R = r log SNR, for r integer, outage occurs typically

when H is close to the set {H : rank(H) ≤ r}, with ²2 = SNR−1 .
The co-dimension of the manifold of rank r matrices within the set of
all M × N matrices is (M − r)(N − r).

P (Outage) ≈ SNR−(M −r)(N −r)

 Geometric Picture (integer r)
Scalar Channel Vector Channel
Typical Bad H

Good H
Full Rank
Bad H Good H

ε Rank(H)=r

Result: At rate R = r log SNR, for r integer, outage occurs typically

when H is close to the set {H : rank(H) ≤ r} , with ²2 = SNR−1 .

The co-dimension of the manifold of rank r matrices within the set of

all m × n matrices is (m − r)(n − r).

P (Outage) ≈ SNR−(m−r)(n−r)
 Piecewise Linearity of Tradeoff Curve

(0,mn)

Multiple Antenna
m x n channel

d*(r)
Diversity Gain:

(r, (m−r)(n−r))

Single Antenna
1 channel (min{m,n},0)

1
Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

For non-integer r, qualitatively same outage behavior as brc but with

larger ².

Scalar channel: qualitatively same outage behavior for all r.

Vector channel: qualitatively different outage behavior in different

segments of the tradeoff curve.
 Tradeoff Analysis of Specific Designs

Focus on two transmit antennas.

Y = HX + W
Repetition Scheme: Alamouti Scheme:

time time
x1 0 x 1 -x *2
X= X=
0 x1 x2 x*1

space space

y1 = kHkx1 + w1 [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

 Comparison: 2 × 1 System

Repetition: y1 = kHkx1 + w

Alamouti: [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

d*(r)

(0,2)
Diversity Gain:

Repetition

(1/2,0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

 Comparison: 2 × 1 System

Repetition: y1 = kHkx1 + w

Alamouti: [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

d*(r)

(0,2)
Alamouti
Diversity Gain:

Repetition

(1/2,0) (1,0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

 Comparison: 2 × 1 System

Repetition: y1 = kHkx1 + w

Alamouti: [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

Optimal Tradeoff
d*(r)

(0,2)
Alamouti
Diversity Gain:

Repetition

(1/2,0) (1,0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

 Comparison: 2 × 2 System

Repetition: y1 = kHkx1 + w

Alamouti: [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

(0,4)
d*(r)
Diversity Gain:

Repetition

(1/2,0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

 Comparison: 2 × 2 System

Repetition: y1 = kHkx1 + w

Alamouti: [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

(0,4)
d*(r)

Alamouti
Diversity Gain:

Repetition

(1/2,0)
(1,0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

 Comparison: 2 × 2 System

Repetition: y1 = kHkx1 + w

Alamouti: [y1 y2 ] = kHk[x1 x2 ] + [w1 w2 ]

(0,4) Optimal Tradeoff

d*(r)

Alamouti
Diversity Gain:

(1,1)

(2,0)
(1/2,0)
(1,0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

 Talk Outline

• point-to-point MIMO channels

• multiple access MIMO channels
• cooperative relaying systems
 Multiple Access
M Tx Antenna
User 1
Tx

User 2
Tx

Rx

N Rx Antenna

User K
Tx
M Tx Antenna

In a point-to-point link, multiple antennas provide diversity and

multiplexing gain.
In a system with K users, multiple antennas can be used to discriminate
signals from different users too.
Continue assuming i.i.d. Rayleigh fading, n receive antennas, m
transmit antennas per user.
 Multiuser Diversity-Multiplexing Tradeoff

Suppose we want every user to achieve an error probability:

Pe ∼ SNR−d

and a data rate

R = r log SNR bits/s/Hz.

What is the optimal tradeoff between the diversity gain d and the
multiplexing gain r?

Assume a coding block length l ≥ Km + n − 1.

 Optimal Multiuser D-M Tradeoff: m ≤ n/(K + 1)

(Tse, Viswanath and Zheng 02)

(0,mn)

(1,(m−1)(n−1))
d*(r)
Diversity Gain:

(2, (m−2)(n−2))

(r, (m−r)(n−r))

(min{m,n},0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain: r=R/log SNR

In this regime, diversity-multiplexing tradeoff of each user is as though

it is the only user in the system, i.e. d∗m,n (r)
 Multiuser Tradeoff: m > n/(K + 1)

(0,mn)

Single User *

Diversity Gain : d (r)

(1,(m−1)(n−1))
* dm,n (r)
Performance

(2,(m−2)(n−2))

(r,(m−Kr)(n−r))

n
K+1

Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Single-user diversity-multiplexing tradeoff up to r∗ = n/(K + 1).

For r from N/(K + 1) to min{N/K, M }, tradeoff is as though the K users
are pooled together into a single user with KM antennas and rate Kr,
i.e. d∗KM,N (Kr) .
 Multiuser Tradeoff: m > n/(K + 1)

(0,mn)

Single User *

Diversity Gain : d (r)

(1,(m−1)(n−1))
* dm,n (r)
Performance

(2,(m−2)(n−2))

(r,(m−r)(n−r))

*
d Km,n (Kr)
Antenna Pooling
n
K+1 (min(m,n/K),0)

Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Single-user diversity-multiplexing tradeoff up to r∗ = m/(K + 1).

For r from n/(K + 1) to min{n/K, m}, tradeoff is as though the K users
are pooled together into a single user with Km antennas and rate Kr,
i.e. d∗Km,n (Kr) .
 Benefit of Dual Transmit Antennas

1 Tx Antenna
User 1
Tx

User 2
Tx

Rx

N Rx Antenna

User K
Tx
1 Tx Antenna

Question: what does adding one more antenna at each mobile buy me?
Assume there are more users than receive antennas.
 Benefit of Dual Transmit Antennas

M Tx Antenna
User 1
Tx

User 2
Tx

Rx

N Rx Antenna

User K
Tx
M Tx Antenna

Question: what does adding one more antenna at each mobile buy me?
Assume there are more users than receive antennas.
 Answer

Diversity Gain : d (r)

*
n
Optimal tradeoff

1 Tx antenna

n
K+1

Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Adding one more transmit antenna does not increase the number of
degrees of freedom for each user.

However, it increases the maximum diversity gain from N to 2N .

More generally, it improves the diversity gain d(r) for every r.

 Answer

2n

Diversity Gain : d (r)

* 2 Tx antenna
n
Optimal tradeoff

1 Tx antenna

n
K+1

Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Adding one more transmit antenna does not increase the number of
degrees of freedom for each user.

However, it increases the maximum diversity gain from n to 2n.

More generally, it improves the diversity gain d(r) for every r.

 Suboptimal Receiver: the Decorrelator/Nuller

1 Tx Antenna
User 1 Data for user 1
Tx Decorrelator
User 1

Decorrelator Data for user 2

User 2
User 2
Tx

Rx

N Rx Antenna

Decorrelator Data for user K

User K

User K
Tx
1 Tx Antenna

Consider only the case of m = 1 transmit antenna for each user and
number of users K < n.
 Tradeoff for the Decorrelator

Diversity Gain : d (r)

*
n−K+1

Decorrelator

1
Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Maximum diversity gain is n − K + 1: “costs K − 1 diversity gain to null

out K − 1 interferers.” (Winters, Salz and Gitlin 93)

Adding one receive antenna provides either more reliability per user or
accommodate 1 more user at the same reliability. Optimal tradeoff
curve is also a straight line but with a maximum diversity gain of N .

Adding one receive antenna provides more reliability per user and
accommodate 1 more user.
 Tradeoff for the Decorrelator

Diversity Gain : d (r)

*
n−K+1

Decorrelator

1
Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Maximum diversity gain is n − K + 1: “costs K − 1 diversity gain to null

out K − 1 interferers.” (Winters, Salz and Gitlin 93)
Adding one receive antenna provides either more reliability per user or
accommodate 1 more user at the same reliability.
Optimal tradeoff curve is also a straight line but with a maximum
diversity gain of n.
Adding one receive antenna provides more reliability per user and
accommodate 1 more user.
 Tradeoff for the Decorrelator

Diversity Gain : d (r)

*
n−K+1
Optimal tradeoff

Decorrelator

1
Spatial Multiplexing Gain : r = R/log SNR

Maximum diversity gain is n − K + 1: “costs K − 1 diversity gain to null

out K − 1 interferers.” (Winters, Salz and Gitlin 93)
Adding one receive antenna provides either more reliability per user or
accommodate 1 more user at the same reliability.
Optimal tradeoff curve is also a straight line but with a maximum
diversity gain of n.
Adding one receive antenna provides more reliability per user and
accommodate 1 more user.
 Talk Outline

• point-to-point MIMO channels

• multiple access MIMO channels
• cooperative relaying systems
 Cooperative Relaying

Channel 1
Rx

Tx 1 Channel 2

Tx 2
Cooperative relaying protocols can be designed via a
diversity-multiplexing tradeoff analysis.

(Laneman, Tse, Wornell 01)

 Cooperative Relaying

Channel 1
Rx

Tx 1 Channel 2

Cooperation
Tx 2
Cooperative relaying protocols can be designed via a
diversity-multiplexing tradeoff analysis.

(Laneman, Tse and Wornell 01)

Tradeoff Curves of Relaying Strategies

2
Diversity
gain

direct
transmission

½ 1 Multiplexing
gain
 Cooperative Relaying

Channel 1
Rx

Tx 1 Channel 2

Cooperation
Tx 2
Tradeoff Curves of Relaying Strategies

2
Diversity
gain

direct
transmission

½ 1 Multiplexing
gain
Tradeoff Curves of Relaying Strategies

2
Diversity
amplify +

gain
forward

direct
transmission

½ 1 Multiplexing
gain
Tradeoff Curves of Relaying Strategies

2
Diversity
amplify +

gain
forward

1 ?

direct
transmission

½ 1 Multiplexing
gain
 Cooperative Relaying

Channel 1
Rx

Tx 1 Channel 2

Cooperation
Tx 2
Tradeoff Curves of Relaying Strategies

2
Diversity
amplify +

gain
forward

1 ?

direct
transmission

½ 1 Multiplexing
gain
Tradeoff Curves of Relaying Strategies

2
Diversity
amplify +

gain
forward

amplify + forward
1 + ack

direct
transmission

½ 1 Multiplexing
gain
 Conclusion

Diversity-multiplexing tradeoff is a unified way to look at performance

over wireless channels.

Future work:

• Code design.
• Application to other wireless scenarios.
• Extension to channel-uncertainty-limited rather than noise-limited
regime.