Rate-Splitting Multiple Access for Quantized Multiuser MIMO Communications

This paper investigates the sum spectral efficiency maximization problem in downlink multiuser multiple-input multiple-output systems with low-resolution quantizers at an access point (AP) and users. We consider rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) to enhance spectral efficiency by offering opportunities to boost achievable degree-of-freedom. Optimizing RSMA precoders, however, is highly challenging due to the minimum rate constraint when determining the common rate. The quantization errors coupled with the precoders make the problem more complicated. In this paper, we develop a novel RSMA precoding algorithm incorporating quantization errors for maximizing the sum spectral efficiency. To this end, we first obtain an approximate spectral efficiency in a smooth function. Subsequently, we derive the first-order optimality condition in the form of the nonlinear eigenvalue problem (NEP). We propose a computationally efficient algorithm to find the principal eigenvector of the NEP as a sub-optimal solution. We also extend the weighted minimum mean square error-based RSMA precoding to the considered quantization system. Simulation results validate the proposed methods. The key benefit of using RSMA over spatial division multiple access (SDMA) comes from the ability of the common stream to balance between the channel gain and quantization error in multiuser MIMO systems with different quantization resolutions.