Distributed Resource Allocation for Multi-cell Cooperative OFDMA Networks with Decode-and-Forward Relaying

In this paper, the downlink resource allocation is investigated for multi-cell cellular OFDMA networks with relaying, and a low-complexity distributed scheme is proposed. The target is to maximize the system weighted sum rate as well as provide fair services for each class of users. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming with the individual power constraints of the base station and relay station. The iterative multilevel water-filling is exploited in the power allocation in each cell, and different cells interact and cooperative with one another implicitly, which reduces the signal overhead and the computational complexity. Furthermore, subcarrier pairing and grouping are also discussed to enhance the system throughput or reduce the signaling overhead. Simulation results show that the algorithm converges fast, and outperforms some traditional schemes in terms of system throughput, and achieves fair and ubiquitous data coverage for heterogeneous users.