Opportunistic beamforming systems with diversity combining

Multiuser diversity has attracted significant attention recently. It makes use of the independent channel qualities for different users through scheduling to improve the performance of a wireless cellular communication system. Opportunistic beam-forming is a method to enhance the multiuser diversity gain in an environment with limited channel fluctuations. In this paper, to take one step further, we investigate the use of multiple antennas at the receivers for opportunistic beamforming systems. Different diversity combining techniques are considered, and additional spatial diversity can then be provided. Simulation results show that the performance, including the average throughput, average maximum delay and Jain´s fairness index, can all be improved under different system settings and channel environments.