Distributed resource allocation for self-organizing small cell networks: An evolutionary game approach

Future wireless networks are expected to be highly heterogeneous with the co-existence of macrocells and a large number of small cells. In this case, centralized control and manual intervention will be highly inefficient. Therefore, self organization and distributed resource allocation are of paramount importance for the successful deployment of small cell networks. In this work, we propose an evolutionary game theory (EGT)-based distributed resource allocation scheme for small cell networks. EGT is a suitable tool to address the self organized small cell resource allocation problem since it allows the players with bounded rationality to make individual decisions and learn from the environment for attaining the equilibrium with the minimum information exchange. Also, fairness can be provided. Specifically, we show how EGT can be used for subcarrier and power allocation of small cell networks. Replicator dynamics is used to model the strategy adaptation process of the small cell base stations and the evolutionary equilibrium is obtained as the solution. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.