Multi-Point Channel Charting Aided Resource Management in Cell-Free Networks

Amidst the swift evolution of mobile communications, the burgeoning demands for higher data transmission rates and enhanced quality of service from an expanding user base necessitate innovative solutions. Cell-free massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology has been identified as a particularly viable response to these challenges. This paper elucidates a novel approach wherein users are serviced by a select subset of Access Points (APs) rather than all APs within the network. Such a strategy is aimed at ameliorating both intra-cluster and inter-cluster interference while optimizing the advantages gleaned from AP collaboration. Our methodology bifurcates the overarching challenge into two distincts, yet interrelated subproblems, facilitating their independent resolution through the employment of Multi-Point Channel Charting (MPCC). An innovative user association solution based on MPCC clustering is introduced, leveraging insights into the proximal relationships among users to dictate AP associations within clusters. This is predicated on considerations of AP traffic-load capacities and the channel gains of users, ensuring an equitable distribution of resources. Furthermore, we unveil a pioneering scheme for resource block allocation rooted in MPCC principles, aimed at curtailing interference by adhering to the constraints imposed by orthogonal resource blocks. Empirical simulations corroborate the superiority of our proposed algorithms over existing benchmarks, particularly in enhancing the cumulative system rate achievable. This evidence underscores the potential of our approach in navigating the complexities of cell-free massive MIMO deployments, offering a scalable and efficient framework for future mobile communication infrastructures.