Low complexity resource allocation for load minimization in OFDMA wireless networks

To cope with the ever increasing demand for bandwidth, future wireless networks will be designed with reuse distance equal to one. This scenario requires the implementation of techniques able to manage the strong multiple access interference each cell generates towards its neighbor cells. In particular, low complexity and reduced feedback are important requirements for practical algorithms. In this paper we study an allocation problem for OFDMA networks formulated with the objective of minimizing the load of each cell in the system subject to the constraint that each user meets its target rate. We decompose resource allocation into two sub-problems: channel allocation under deterministic power assignment and continuous power assignment optimization. Channel allocation is formulated as the problem of finding the maximum weighted independent set (MWIS) in graph theory. In addition, we propose a minimal weighted-degree greedy (MWDG) algorithm of which the approximation factor is analyzed. For power allocation, an iterative power reassignment algorithm (DPRA) is proposed. The control information requested to perform the allocation is limited and the computational burden is shared between the base station and the user equipments. Simulations have been carried out under constant bit rate traffic model and the results have been compared with other allocation schemes of similar complexity. MWDG has excellent performance and outperforms all other techniques.