Device-to-device communication in 5G heterogeneous network based on game-theoretic approaches: A comprehensive survey

Abstract

In the evolution of Fifth-Generation (5G) oriented wireless communication technology, the conventional wireless communication performance indicators, including network capacity, spectrum efficiency, and Quality of Services (QoS), need to be continuously improved to optimize the utilization of the wireless spectrum. As a key candidate technology for 5G, Device-to-Device (D2D) communication improves system performance, enhances user experience, and expands cellular communication applications. D2D communication provides a better quality of services with minor communication delays, improving overall network performance, efficient utilization of network resources, and enhanced network capacity by utilizing short-distance communication between devices in close proximity. D2D communication technology has recently received widespread attention due to its promising nature. This survey comprehensively reviews D2D communication and the techniques involved in different phases of successful D2D communication. In addition, this survey paper also presents an extensive review of proposed solutions based on game-theoretic approaches aiming to optimize the performance of D2D communication in 5G. The major objectives of this survey paper are to thoroughly analyze current developments in D2D communication and review game theory applications in D2D communication. This survey also identifies challenges in D2D communication, opens issues, and suggests future research areas.