Clustering strategies for multicast precoding in multibeam satellite systems

• Published in: International journal of satellite communications and networking 2020-03, Vol.38 (2), p.85-104
• Main Authors: Guidotti, Alessandro, Vanelli‐Coralli, Alessandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Clustering; Computer simulation; Frequency reuse; k‐means; multibeam satellite; Multicast; multicast precoding; Satellite communications
• ISSN: 1542-0973; 1542-0981
• DOI: 10.1002/sat.1312

Summary Next generation multibeam SatCom architectures will heavily exploit full frequency reuse schemes along with interference management techniques, eg, precoding or multiuser detection, to drastically increase the system throughput. In this framework, we address the problem of the user selection for multicast precoding by formulating it as a clustering problem. By introducing a novel mathematical framework, we design fixed/variable size clustering algorithms that group users into simultaneously precoded and served clusters while maximising the system throughput. Numerical simulations are used to validate the proposed algorithms and to identify the main system‐level trade‐offs. In this paper, the user selection for multicast precoding satellite communication systems is formulated as a clustering problem. A novel mathematical framework is introduced, and fixed‐/variable‐size clustering algorithms are designed based on Euclidean distance and channel coefficients similarities. Extensive analyses on the main system‐level trade‐offs are provided based on average spectral efficiencies as a function of both the cluster size and the transmission power, the cluster size probability for variable‐size solutions, cumulative distribution functions of the SINR, and computational complexity.