306 research outputs found
Joint Resource Allocation for eICIC in Heterogeneous Networks
Interference coordination between high-power macros and low-power picos
deeply impacts the performance of heterogeneous networks (HetNets). It should
deal with three challenges: user association with macros and picos, the amount
of almost blank subframe (ABS) that macros should reserve for picos, and
resource block (RB) allocation strategy in each eNB. We formulate the three
issues jointly for sum weighted logarithmic utility maximization while
maintaining proportional fairness of users. A class of distributed algorithms
are developed to solve the joint optimization problem. Our framework can be
deployed for enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (eICIC) in existing
LTE-A protocols. Extensive evaluation are performed to verify the effectiveness
of our algorithms.Comment: Accepted by Globecom 201
On/Off Macrocells and Load Balancing in Heterogeneous Cellular Networks
The rate distribution in heterogeneous networks (HetNets) greatly benefits
from load balancing, by which mobile users are pushed onto lightly-loaded small
cells despite the resulting loss in SINR. This offloading can be made more
aggressive and robust if the macrocells leave a fraction of time/frequency
resource blank, which reduces the interference to the offloaded users. We
investigate the joint optimization of this technique - referred to in 3GPP as
enhanced intercell interference coordination (eICIC) via almost blank subframes
(ABSs) - with offloading in this paper. Although the joint cell association and
blank resource (BR) problem is nominally combinatorial, by allowing users to
associate with multiple base stations (BSs), the problem becomes convex, and
upper bounds the performance versus a binary association. We show both
theoretically and through simulation that the optimal solution of the relaxed
problem still results in an association that is mostly binary. The optimal
association differs significantly when the macrocell is on or off; in
particular the offloading can be much more aggressive when the resource is left
blank by macro BSs. Further, we observe that jointly optimizing the offloading
with BR is important. The rate gain for cell edge users (the worst 3-10%) is
very large - on the order of 5-10x - versus a naive association strategy
without macrocell blanking
Capacity Analysis of LTE-Advanced HetNets with Reduced Power Subframes and Range Expansion
The time domain inter-cell interference coordination techniques specified in
LTE Rel. 10 standard improves the throughput of picocell-edge users by
protecting them from macrocell interference. On the other hand, it also
degrades the aggregate capacity in macrocell because the macro base station
(MBS) does not transmit data during certain subframes known as almost blank
subframes. The MBS data transmission using reduced power subframes was
standardized in LTE Rel. 11, which can improve the capacity in macrocell while
not causing high interference to the nearby picocells. In order to get maximum
benefit from the reduced power subframes, setting the key system parameters,
such as the amount of power reduction, carries critical importance. Using
stochastic geometry, this paper lays down a theoretical foundation for the
performance evaluation of heterogeneous networks with reduced power subframes
and range expansion bias. The analytic expressions for average capacity and 5th
percentile throughput are derived as a function of transmit powers, node
densities, and interference coordination parameters in a heterogeneous network
scenario, and are validated through Monte Carlo simulations. Joint optimization
of range expansion bias, power reduction factor, scheduling thresholds, and
duty cycle of reduced power subframes are performed to study the trade-offs
between aggregate capacity of a cell and fairness among the users. To validate
our analysis, we also compare the stochastic geometry based theoretical results
with the real MBS deployment (in the city of London) and the hexagonal-grid
model. Our analysis shows that with optimum parameter settings, the LTE Rel. 11
with reduced power subframes can provide substantially better performance than
the LTE Rel. 10 with almost blank subframes, in terms of both aggregate
capacity and fairness.Comment: Submitted to EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and
Networking (JWCN
Interference Management Based on RT/nRT Traffic Classification for FFR-Aided Small Cell/Macrocell Heterogeneous Networks
Cellular networks are constantly lagging in terms of the bandwidth needed to
support the growing high data rate demands. The system needs to efficiently
allocate its frequency spectrum such that the spectrum utilization can be
maximized while ensuring the quality of service (QoS) level. Owing to the
coexistence of different types of traffic (e.g., real-time (RT) and
non-real-time (nRT)) and different types of networks (e.g., small cell and
macrocell), ensuring the QoS level for different types of users becomes a
challenging issue in wireless networks. Fractional frequency reuse (FFR) is an
effective approach for increasing spectrum utilization and reducing
interference effects in orthogonal frequency division multiple access networks.
In this paper, we propose a new FFR scheme in which bandwidth allocation is
based on RT/nRT traffic classification. We consider the coexistence of small
cells and macrocells. After applying FFR technique in macrocells, the remaining
frequency bands are efficiently allocated among the small cells overlaid by a
macrocell. In our proposed scheme, total frequency-band allocations for
different macrocells are decided on the basis of the traffic intensity. The
transmitted power levels for different frequency bands are controlled based on
the level of interference from a nearby frequency band. Frequency bands with a
lower level of interference are assigned to the RT traffic to ensure a higher
QoS level for the RT traffic. RT traffic calls in macrocell networks are also
given a higher priority compared with nRT traffic calls to ensure the low
call-blocking rate. Performance analyses show significant improvement under the
proposed scheme compared with conventional FFR schemes
Resource and power management in next generation networks
The limits of today’s cellular communication systems are constantly being tested by
the exponential increase in mobile data traffic, a trend which is poised to continue
well into the next decade. Densification of cellular networks, by overlaying smaller
cells, i.e., micro, pico and femtocells, over the traditional macrocell, is seen as an
inevitable step in enabling future networks to support the expected increases in data
rate demand. Next generation networks will most certainly be more heterogeneous
as services will be offered via various types of points of access (PoAs). Indeed, besides
the traditional macro base station, it is expected that users will also be able to
access the network through a wide range of other PoAs: WiFi access points, remote
radio-heads (RRHs), small cell (i.e., micro, pico and femto) base stations or even
other users, when device-to-device (D2D) communications are supported, creating
thus a multi-tiered network architecture. This approach is expected to enhance the
capacity of current cellular networks, while patching up potential coverage gaps.
However, since available radio resources will be fully shared, the inter-cell interference
as well as the interference between the different tiers will pose a significant
challenge. To avoid severe degradation of network performance, properly managing
the interference is essential. In particular, techniques that mitigate interference such
Inter Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) and enhanced ICIC (eICIC) have been
proposed in the literature to address the issue. In this thesis, we argue that interference
may be also addressed during radio resource scheduling tasks, by enabling
the network to make interference-aware resource allocation decisions.
Carrier aggregation technology, which allows the simultaneous use of several
component carriers, on the other hand, targets the lack of sufficiently large portions
of frequency spectrum; a problem that severely limits the capacity of wireless networks.
The aggregated carriers may, in general, belong to different frequency bands,
and have different bandwidths, thus they also may have very different signal propagation
characteristics. Integration of carrier aggregation in the network introduces
additional tasks and further complicates interference management, but also opens
up a range of possibilities for improving spectrum efficiency in addition to enhancing
capacity, which we aim to exploit. In this thesis, we first look at the resource allocation in problem in dense multitiered
networks with support for advanced features such as carrier aggregation and
device-to-device communications. For two-tiered networks with D2D support, we
propose a centralised, near optimal algorithm, based on dynamic programming principles,
that allows a central scheduler to make interference and traffic-aware scheduling
decisions, while taking into consideration the short-lived nature of D2D links.
As the complexity of the central scheduler increases exponentially with the number
of component carriers, we further propose a distributed heuristic algorithm to tackle
the resource allocation problem in carrier aggregation enabled dense networks. We
show that the solutions we propose perform significantly better than standard solutions
adopted in cellular networks such as eICIC coupled with Proportional Fair
scheduling, in several key metrics such as user throughput, timely delivery of content
and spectrum and energy efficiency, while ensuring fairness for backward compatible
devices.
Next, we investigate the potentiality to enhance network performance by enabling
the different nodes of the network to reduce and dynamically adjust the
transmit power of the different carriers to mitigate interference. Considering that
the different carriers may have different coverage areas, we propose to leverage this
diversity, to obtain high-performing network configurations. Thus, we model the
problem of carrier downlink transmit power setting, as a competitive game between
teams of PoAs, which enables us to derive distributed dynamic power setting algorithms.
Using these algorithms we reach stable configurations in the network,
known as Nash equilibria, which we show perform significantly better than fixed
power strategies coupled with eICIC
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