Algorithms and VLSI Implementations of MIMO Detection

This book provides a detailed overview of detection algorithms for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications systems focusing on their hardware realisation. The book begins by analysing the maximum likelihood detector, which provides the optimal bit error rate performance in an uncoded communications system. However, the maximum likelihood detector experiences a high complexity that scales exponentially with the number of antennas, which makes it impractical for real-time communications systems. The authors proceed to discuss lower-complexity detection algorithms such as zero-forcing, sphere decoding, and the K-best algorithm, with the aid of detailed algorithmic analysis and several MATLAB code examples. Furthermore, different design examples of MIMO detection algorithms and their hardware implementation results are presented and discussed. Finally, an ASIC design flow for implementing MIMO detection algorithms in hardware is provided, including the system simulation and modelling steps and register transfer level modelling using hardware description languages.

• Provides an overview of MIMO detection algorithms and discusses their corresponding hardware implementations in detail;
• Highlights architectural considerations of MIMO detectors in achieving low power consumption and high throughput;
• Discusses design tradeoffs that will guide readers’ efforts when implementing MIMO algorithms in hardware;
• Describes a broad range of implementations of different MIMO detectors, enabling readers to make informed design decisions based on their application requirements.

Dr. Ibrahim Bello received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in 2006, MSc (with distinction) in Microelectronic Systems and Telecommunications from the University of Liverpool in 2010, and PhD in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Southampton in 2017. During his PhD, he investigated various ASIC architectures for MIMO detection algorithms. In 2019, he joined the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, where he carried out research in smart energy systems. Dr Bello was previously a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, where he taught various topics in software development and digital systems design. In 2022, he joined Dyson Technology Ltd. as a Senior Embedded Software Engineer. He retains a keen interest in hardware implementation of digital signal processing algorithms, the Internet of Things, and smart energy systems.

Dr. Basel Halak is an Associate Professor and the director of the embedded systems and IoT program at the University of Southampton. Dr Halak is a visiting scholar at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, an industrial fellow of the royal academy of engineering a senior fellow of the higher education academy and a national teaching fellow of Advance HE UK. He has written over 100-refereed conference and journal papers and authored four books. His research expertise includes hardware security, digital design, and embedded systems. Dr Halak serves on several technical programme committees such as HOST, IEEE DATE, DAC, IVSW, ICCCA, ICCCS, MTV and EWME. He is an associate editor of IEEE access and an editor of the IET circuit devices and system journal. He is also a member of the hardware security-working group of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).