On the Problem of Optimal Cell Selection and Uplink Power Control in Open Access Multi-service Two-Tier Femtocell Networks

In this paper the problem of optimal cell selection and power control in the uplink of multi-service open access two-tier femtocell networks is addressed via a game theoretic approach. Each user is associated with a properly defined QoS-aware utility function, which depends on the two tier architecture and the class of requested service, i.e. real or non-real time service. An optimal cell selection game is formulated and is proven to be a potential game. Its solution constitutes a feasible pure strategy Nash equilibrium (NE), which guarantees that the users select the most appropriate cell to connect in order to maximize their QoS-aware performance. Subsequently, an optimal power allocation is adopted, towards achieving an energy efficient resource allocation, given users' assignment to the cells. A learning algorithm is proposed towards determining the cell selection game's NE, combined with the power allocation mechanism. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is evaluated through modeling and simulation.