Resource allocation for eICIC scheme in heterogeneous networks

Abstract

This paper proposes a resource allocation scheme for enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (eICIC) in heterogeneous networks. In the eICIC system, the macro eNBs will stop data transmission in almost blank subframes (ABSs), where the UEs in small cells can be protected. The proposed scheme takes into account both the number of the ABSs configured at the macro eNBs and the UE partition scheme in small cells to achieve the performance balance between the macro cells and the small cells. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the existing methods regardless of the configured ABS pattern and the UE partition scheme. The performance gain in the cell spectrum efficiency is achieved by slightly sacrificing the medium UEs with medium values of signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINRs) to further improve the best UEs with high SINRs without degradation of the edge UEs.