Resource allocation to achieve cross-layer metrics in cooperative networks

We consider a network utility maximization (NUM) framework to allocate resources in a cooperative network comprising multiple sources, dedicated relays and a single destination. The allocation is designed to ensure the average queue length at each source is below a chosen demand. The optimization is over power allocation at all nodes, relay selection and relaying strategy. We formulate the NUM problem and propose a solution to achieve the optimal allocation scheme. The two main contributions here are the formulation including queue length and an efficient solution that has only linear complexity in the number of source nodes. Furthermore, unlike previous works, it avoids a brute-force search over rates.