Systems and methods for multiuser detection in distributed antenna systems

A method comprising:

• receiving, by each access point of a plurality of access points, a corresponding plurality of signals from a plurality of wireless communication devices via a corresponding plurality of antennas of the access point;
• estimating, by each access point of the plurality of access points and for each communication channel between an antenna of the corresponding plurality of antennas and a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices, channel characteristics of the communication channel;
• determining, by each access point of the plurality of access points, a subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices using channel characteristics for communication channels between the plurality of wireless communication devices and the plurality of antennas, the subset including a number of wireless communication devices less than or equal to a number of antennas of the access point;
• transmitting, by each access point of the plurality of access points to a central processing circuitry connected to the plurality of access points via a fronthaul interface, data associated with the subset of wireless communication devices;
• and
• detecting, by the central processing circuitry, for each wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices, a signal transmitted by the wireless communication device using data received from the plurality of access points.

An access point device, comprising:

• a plurality of antennas configured to receive signals from a plurality of wireless communication devices;
• and
• a local processing circuitry connected to the plurality of antennas and configured to:
• estimate, for each communication channel between an antenna of the plurality of antennas and a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices, channel characteristics of the communication channel;
• determine a subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices using channel characteristics for communication channels between the plurality of wireless communication devices and the plurality of antennas, the subset including a number of wireless communication devices less than the number of antennas of the plurality of antennas;
• and
• transmit, to a central processing circuitry connected to the local processing circuitry via a fronthaul interface, data associated with the subset of wireless communication devices for use to detect signals transmitted by the plurality of wireless communication devices.