Distributed self-optimizing interference management in ultra-dense networks with non-orthogonal multiple access

Abstract

Both non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and ultra-dense network (UDN) are promising technologies in future wireless networks. However, considering the overlapped coverage of small base stations (SBSs) and the spectrum sharing with NOMA, interference management (IM) becomes a more complex and fundamental problem. Moreover, considering the massive SBSs and dynamic network conditions in UDN, more efficient mechanisms need to be designed to deal with the IM issue. Thus, we propose a distributed self-optimizing interference management approach to address both the intra-cell interference caused by NOMA and the inter-cell interference among dense deployed SBSs. Aiming to minimize the interference and guarantee the users’ requirements, we mathematically formulate the joint resource allocation and user selection problem with consideration of the diverse user requirements, complicated interference topology, and limited resources. Furthermore, we consider the imperfections of successive interference cancellation at receivers for separating and decoding superimposed signals and analyze the impacts of residual interference and outage probability in NOMA-based UDNs. For tractability purpose, we introduce interference graph and satisfaction game theory and propose distributed algorithms to solve the problem. Simulation results show that interference can be reduced significantly in UDNs with NOMA compared with the traditional IM approaches.