Coordinated Scheduling and Power Allocation in Downlink Multicell OFDMA Networks

Abstract

We consider a multicell orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) wireless network with universal frequency reuse and treat the problem of cochannel interference mitigation via base station coordination in the downlink. Assuming that coordinated access points only share channel quality measurements but not user data symbols, we propose to select the set of cochannel users and the power allocation across tones to maximize the weighted system sum rate subject to per-base-station power constraints. Since this is a nonconvex combinatorial problem, efficient suboptimal algorithms are presented and discussed, each requiring a different level of coordination among base stations and a different feedback signaling overhead. Simulation results are provided to assess the performances of the proposed strategies.