An improved algorithm for transmission in heterogeneous cellular networks

Abstract

This paper presents improvements to a coverage algorithm that we previously proposed for use in heterogeneous cellular networks, with the improved algorithm being referred to as the modified coverage algorithm. The modified coverage algorithm maintains the coverage advantages provided by the previous coverage algorithm; that is, users can be covered by the network in any scenario and unnecessary power consumption can be avoided through the use of the algorithm. The modified coverage algorithm also mitigates the sole disadvantage of the previous coverage algorithm, that is, its inability to meet users' transmission rate requirements, instead ensuring that the respective transmission rate requirements of all users can be typically met. According to the simulation results, compared with the previous coverage algorithm, the modified coverage algorithm improves the average transmission rate significantly (especially when the traffic volume is low) at the small expense of a slightly increased outage ratio under high traffic volumes; however, based on our design, the users who face an increase in the outage ratio are of lower priority. As a result, the system's overall performance is at an acceptable level.