QoS controlled capacity offload optimization in heterogeneous networks

Abstract

An efficient resource allocation mechanism in the physical layer of wireless networks ensures that resources such as bandwidth and power are used with high efficiency in spite of low delay and high edge user data rate. Microcells in the network are typically set with bias settings to artificially increase the Signal-to-Interference-Plus-Noise Ratio, thus encouraging users to offload to the microcell. However, the artificial bias settings are tedious and often suboptimal. This work presents a low complexity algorithm for maximization of network capacity with load balancing in a heterogeneous network without the need for bias setting. The small cells were deployed in a grid topology at a selected distance from macrocell to enhance network capacity through coverage overlap. User association and minimum user throughput were incorporated as constraints to enable closer simulation to real word Quality of Service requirements. The results showed that the proposed algorithm was able to maintain less than 10% user drop rate. The proposed algorithm can increase user confidence as well as maintain load balancing, maintain the scalability, and reduce power consumption of the wireless network.