Joint user grouping and resource allocation scheme based on user satisfaction management for indoor multicolor VLC-NOMA network

Abstract

Due to the advantages of multicolor, such as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), incorporating multicolor into a visible light communication (VLC) network can significantly enhance the performance compared to traditional VLC networks. To mitigate inter-cell interference (ICI) and support multiple users, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is implemented in the multicolor VLC network to improve network sum-rate and spectrum utilization. In order to ensure the user communication quality, we implement user satisfaction management and consider average user satisfaction while allocating resources. We investigate the problem of multi-cell user grouping and resource allocation in the multicolor VLCNOMA network. Specifically, the joint problem of power allocation (PA), user grouping (UG), and subcarrier allocation (SA) to maximize the sum-rate is formulated as a multi-objective nonlinear integer programming problem. For the PA problem, we propose a dynamic power adjustment-based power allocation (DPAPA) algorithm, guaranteeing the constraint of quality of service (QoS) and successive interference cancellation (SIC). For the UG problem, a communication quality-based user grouping (CQUG) algorithm is proposed. To solve the SA problem, we propose a primary and secondary subcarrier classification-based subcarrier allocation (PSSCSA) algorithm. Finally, a joint user grouping, subcarrier allocation, and power allocation (JUGSAPA) algorithm is designed for iterative optimization. Simulation results show the proposed algorithm can increase the network sum-rate of the multicolor VLCNOMA network and guarantee the average user satisfaction and user fairness.