A Distributed Algorithm for Wireless Resource Allocation Using Coalitions and the Nash Bargaining Solution

In this paper a distributed, low-complexity, fast and fair resource allocation algorithm for a multiuser, wireless LTE OFDMA channel is proposed. Based on the game theoretic concept of the Nash Bargaining Solution and by grouping users into coalitions of size 2, a cooperative solution to the problem of subcarrier allocation is achieved. The fairness that our algorithm provides matches that offered by the widely accepted Proportional Fair (PF) scheduler. Our simulation results show that the proposed algorithm achieves a sum rate that is almost equivalent (i.e. 90%) to the sum rate achieved by the PF scheduler, while only requiring minimal exchange of information between nodes. At the same time, efficiency enhancements and its distributed nature render it fast and low-complexity enough to be implemented in a real-time wireless system.