Channel orthogonalization via movable antennas

Overview & Synopsis

This paper investigates the orthogonalization of far-field multiuser channels through the optimal positioning of the antennas constituting an array. To solve the ensuing continuous geometry optimization problem, a graph-theoretic framework is introduced that maps pairwise user channel correlations to graph edges, translating channel orthogonalization into a discrete graph-covering problem on a complete graph. The minimum number of array antennas required for orthogonalization is established for 1D, 2D, and 3D array geometries, and a binary linear program is formulated that identifies the most compact array attaining such orthogonality. The graph framework is also shown to accommodate null-steering scenarios and multipath channels. Furthermore, a fundamental tradeoff is revealed whereby relaxing exact orthogonality to near-orthogonality reduces the antenna count at the expense of a less compact array, and a method is presented to enforce minimum antenna spacings without sacrificing orthogonality.