An Uplink Frequency-Time Index Modulation Multiple Access for 6G Networks

This investigation introduces an uplink frequency-time (FT) index modulation multiple access (IMMA) (FT-IMMA) scheme designed to augment the spectral efficiency (SE) of conventional orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA). The fundamental principle of this approach involves allocating FT resources within OFDMA to users through two-dimensional index modulation (IM). A subset of input bits from each user dictates the indices of subcarriers and time slots within the FT resources of OFDMA, while the remaining bits undergo a conventional $M$-ary modulation. FT-IMMA obviates the necessity for a prior scheduling mechanism, thereby reducing communication overhead. While this grant-free access approach may potentially introduce data collisions within the system, the collision probability of the proposed model is observed to be markedly lower compared to traditional IMMA systems. However, the two-dimensional IM approach increases the computational complexity of conventional maximum likelihood detection. To address this, the authors propose using orthogonal matching pursuit, a compressive sensing technique that effectively reduces the computational burden. Through analytical investigation and simulation results, FT-IMMA demonstrates superior performance compared to its counterparts, showcasing notable advantages in both bit error rate and SE.