Coalition-Assisted Resource Allocation in Large Amplify-and-Forward Cooperative Networks

Abstract

This paper considers the problem of resource allocation for a large-scale wireless network consisting of multiple amplify-and-forward (AF) cooperative links. To effectively manage interlink interference and achieve efficient resource allocation, we propose a novel two-stage game model in which links form coalitions in the first stage, and in the second stage, they engage in a noncooperative game given the coalition structure determined in the first stage. This model is distinct from the classic coalitional game theory as it captures the important possibilities of externalities across coalitions. In the coalitional game formulation, we have derived an analytical expression for the asymptotic throughput of an AF cooperative system in the regime of large number of relays and have incorporated opportunistic relaying as an effective technique to combat harmful interferences. In the sequential noncooperative game formulation, the uniqueness of the Nash equilibrium has been established for the general <i xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">N</i> -player case, which generalizes previous works on the two-player game. Simulation results demonstrate over 200% sum rate enhancement relative to the noncooperative approach, primarily due to the improved pattern of frequency reuse and the benefit of multiuser diversity.