Stable Power Control in Wireless Networks via Dual Averaging

Abstract

We propose a simple, novel and distributed power control algorithm, called dual averaging, that efficiently incorporates past information and regulates power to achieve better stability. The dual averaging power control algorithm converges to the optimal power vector in a feasible deterministic wireless network. More importantly, even if the network is stochastic and time- varying, as long as the channel is feasible on average, the proposed dual averaging power control algorithm converges almost surely to the deterministic optimal power vector, while existing power control algorithms (such as Foschini-Miljanic) may fail to converge (even to a distribution) altogether. We also provide an extensive set of simulations that demonstrate various interesting and desirable properties of the proposed algorithm.