Method and apparatus for scheduling user device in multi-user multi-input multi-output wireless system

A base station for communicating with user devices (UDs), the base station comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• receive indication(s) of selected beam(s) for physical user devices (UDs) in a group of physical UDs, at least two beams being selected by a common physical UD;
• generate, based on the received indication(s), different virtual UDs for different combinations of selected beams and each physical UD, from the group of physical UDs, that selected the selected beam such that separate virtual UDs are generated for the common physical UD;
• estimate, by the base station, data rates for the different virtual UDs;
• estimate, by the base station, power gradient(s) for the selected beam(s) based on the estimated data rates of the different virtual UDs;
• determine, by the base station, power level(s) for the selected beam(s) based on the estimated power gradient(s);
• and
• schedule based on the determined power level(s) for the selected beam(s), outgoing radio frequency transmissions for physical UDs in the group of physical UDs;
• and based thereon
• transmit the outgoing radio frequency transmissions to physical UDs in the group of physical UDs.

A method for communicating with user devices (UDs), comprising:

• receiving, by a base station, indication(s) of selected beam(s) for physical UDs in a group of physical UDs, a common beam being selecting for different physical UDs;
• generating, by the base station based on the received indication(s), different virtual UDs for different combinations of beams and physical UDs, in the group of physical UDs, that selected the selected beams such that separate virtual UDs are generated for the respective combinations of the common beam and the two different physical UDs that selected the common beam;
• estimating, by the base station, data rates for the different virtual UDs;
• estimating, by the base station, power gradient(s) for the selected beam(s) based on the estimated data rates of the different virtual UDs;
• determining, by the base station, power level(s) for the selected beam(s) based on the estimated power gradient(s);
• and
• scheduling, by the base station, based on the determined power level(s) for the selected beam(s), outgoing radio frequency transmissions for physical UDs in the group of physical UDs;
• and based thereon transmitting, by the base station, the outgoing radio frequency transmissions to physical UDs in the group of physical UDs.

A base station for communicating with user devices (UDs), the base station comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• receive indication(s) of selected beam(s) for physical UDs in a group of physical UDs, a common beam being selecting for different physical UDs;
• generate, based on the received indication(s), different virtual UDs for different combinations of beams and physical UDs, in the group of physical UDs, that selected the selected beams such that separate virtual UDs are generated for the respective combinations of the common beam and the two different physical UDs that selected the common beam;
• estimate data rates for the different virtual UDs;
• estimate power gradient(s) for the selected beam(s) based on the estimated data rates of the different virtual UDs;
• determine power level(s) for the selected beam(s) based on the estimated power gradient(s);
• and
• schedule based on the determined power level(s) for the selected beam(s), outgoing radio frequency transmissions for physical UDs in the group of physical UDs;
• and based thereon
• transmit the outgoing radio frequency transmissions to physical UDs in the group of physical UDs.