Implementation of a Cell-Free RAN System With Distributed Cooperative Transceivers Under ORAN Architecture

As a key technology for the evolution to the sixth generation (6G) systems, cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (CF-mMIMO) can effectively improve the spectrum efficiency, peak rate, and reliability of wireless communication systems. Starting from the scalable implementation of CF-mMIMO, we study a cell-free RAN (CF-RAN) with distributed cooperative transceivers under the open RAN (ORAN) architecture. Through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, we investigate the uplink and downlink spectral efficiencies of CF-mMIMO with the distributed transceivers. We then discuss the implementation issues of CF-RAN under ORAN architecture, including time-frequency synchronization and over-the-air reciprocity calibration, low layer splitting, deployment of ORAN radio units (O-RU), and artificial intelligent-based user associations. Finally, we present some representative experimental results for the uplink distributed reception and downlink coherent joint transmission of CF-RAN with commercial off-the-shelf O-RUs.

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Publication Details

Journal
IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications
Published
2025-01-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1109/jsac.2025.3531525
Citations
8
Primary Topic
Wireless Body Area Networks
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
5.39

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article

Implementation of a Cell-Free RAN System With Distributed Cooperative Transceivers Under ORAN Architecture

Mengting Lou, Xinjiang Xia, Yang Cao, Jiangzhou Wang et al.
8 citations
IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications
Wireless Body Area Networks
5.39
article

Implementation of a Cell-Free RAN System With Distributed Cooperative Transceivers Under ORAN Architecture

Mengting Lou, Xinjiang Xia, Yang Cao, Jiangzhou Wang, Yongming Huang, Xiaohu You, Pengzhe Xin, Ziyang Zhang, Jing Jin, Kang Zheng, Dongming Wang, Qixing Wang, Dongjie Liu
article en
8 citations

Abstract

As a key technology for the evolution to the sixth generation (6G) systems, cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (CF-mMIMO) can effectively improve the spectrum efficiency, peak rate, and reliability of wireless communication systems. Starting from the scalable implementation of CF-mMIMO, we study a cell-free RAN (CF-RAN) with distributed cooperative transceivers under the open RAN (ORAN) architecture. Through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, we investigate the uplink and downlink spectral efficiencies of CF-mMIMO with the distributed transceivers. We then discuss the implementation issues of CF-RAN under ORAN architecture, including time-frequency synchronization and over-the-air reciprocity calibration, low layer splitting, deployment of ORAN radio units (O-RU), and artificial intelligent-based user associations. Finally, we present some representative experimental results for the uplink distributed reception and downlink coherent joint transmission of CF-RAN with commercial off-the-shelf O-RUs.

IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in CommunicationsVol. 43(3)
China Mobile (China) (CN), Purple Mountain Laboratories (CN), Southeast University (CN)
National Outstanding Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Wireless Body Area Networks
5.39
DOISourceOpenAlex
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