Fair Resource Allocation for OFDMA Femtocell Networks With Macrocell Protection

• Published in: IEEE transactions on vehicular technology Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 1388 - 1401
• Main Authors: Nguyen Ha, Vu, Bao Le, Long
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.03.2014; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Cellular communication; Complexity; Complexity theory; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical machines; Equipments and installations; Exact sciences and technology; Femtocell networks; Information, signal and communications theory; Interference; interference management; Macrocell networks; Mathematical models; Mobile radiocommunication systems; Multiplexing; Networks; Optimization; orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA); Power control; Radiocommunications; Regulation and control; Resource allocation; Resource management; Signal and communications theory; Signal to noise ratio; subchannel assignment (SA); Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); Uplink; Performance evaluation; Mobile radiocommunication; Optimal algorithm; Base station; Wireless telecommunication; Resource allocation; Frequency division multiple access; Downlink; Power electronics; Resource sharing; Cell network; Search algorithm; orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA); Femtocell networks; Power control; Channel allocation; Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing; Numerical simulation; Hybrid model; Resource management; Mathematical model; Uplink; interference management; subchannel assignment (SA)
• ISSN: 0018-9545; 1939-9359
• DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2013.2284572

We consider the joint subchannel allocation and power control problem for orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) femtocell networks in this paper. Specifically, we are interested in the fair resource-sharing solution for users in each femtocell that maximizes the total minimum spectral efficiency of all femtocells subject to protection constraints for the prioritized macro users. Toward this end, we present the mathematical formulation for the uplink resource-allocation problem and propose an optimal exhaustive search algorithm. Given the exponential complexity of the optimal algorithm, we develop a distributed and low-complexity algorithm to find an efficient solution for the problem. We prove that the proposed algorithm converges and we analyze its complexity. Then, we extend the proposed algorithm in three different directions, namely, downlink context, resource allocation with rate adaption for femto users, and consideration of a hybrid access strategy where some macro users are allowed to connect with nearby femto base stations (FBSs) to improve the performance of the femto tier. Finally, numerical results are presented to demonstrate the desirable performance of the proposed algorithms.