MMSE-based beamforming techniques for relay broadcast channels

We propose minimum mean square error (MMSE)-based beamforming techniques for a multiantenna relay network, where a base station (BS) equipped with multiple antennas communicates with a number of single-antenna users through a multiantenna relay. We specifically solve three optimization problems, namely, 1) the sum-power minimization problem, 2) the mean-square-error (MSE) balancing problem, and 3) the mixed quality-of-service (QoS) problem. Unfortunately, these problems are not jointly convex in terms of beamforming vectors at the BS and the relay amplification matrix. To circumvent this nonconvexity issue, the original problems are divided into two subproblems, where the beamforming vectors and the relay amplification matrix are alternately optimized, whereas the other is fixed. Three iterative algorithms are developed based on convex optimization techniques and general MSE duality. Simulation results are provided to validate the convergence of the proposed algorithms.