Supporting Passive Users in mmWave Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to reduce interference on passive users in mmWave networks by leveraging link directivity and path diversity, with minimal impact on active user throughput, supported by theoretical and numerical analysis.

Contribution

It presents a novel interference mitigation approach for passive users in mmWave networks using linear programming and network diversity insights.

Findings

Effective interference reduction on passive users

Minimal throughput penalty for active users

Theoretical bounds and numerical validation

Abstract

The interference from active to passive users is a well-recognized challenge in millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications. We propose a method that enables to limit the interference on passive users (whose presence may not be detected since they do not transmit) with a small penalty to the throughput of active users. Our approach abstracts away (in a simple, yet informative way) the physical layer component and it leverages the directivity of mmWave links and the available network path diversity. We provide linear programming formulations, lower bounds on active users rates, numerical evaluations, and we establish a connection with the problem of (information theoretically) secure communication over mmWave networks.