Effect of Intelligent Multi-Association in Civil Aircraft-Augmented SAGIN

Abstract

Although 5G networks have gradually commercialized, many scenarios like emergency areas and remote regions still exist with vast communication problems. In this paper, we provide a detailed analysis of civil-aircraft augmented space-air-ground integrated networks (CAA-SAGIN), where the user’s association strategy can be determined intelligently. First, we discuss the influence of the spatial distribution of civil aircrafts (CAs) and satellites on the Rician factor. Then, we provide a novel and simple expression of moment-generating functions related to small-fading variables. With massive visible access points (APs), we combine two user-centric connectivity methods, i.e., multiple resource blocks in a single AP (MRB-SA) and collaborative connectivity in multiple APs (CC-MA), and each segment’s ergodic capacity and coverage probability are investigated respectively. The numerical results demonstrate that CA networks can provide similar coverage and capacity performance as satellite networks in the given range. The advantages of introducing CAs to the satellite-terrestrial integrated networks are significant under the combined connectivity methods. This paper quantitatively proves CA networks’ benefits in capacity and coverage and lays a theoretical foundation for CAA-SAGIN.