Spatial games and global optimization for mobile association problems

TL;DR

This paper integrates game theory and optimal transport to analyze mobile association problems, providing a framework for understanding optimal cell assignments in cellular networks through fluid approximations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining game theory and optimal transport to characterize mobile association solutions from both network and user perspectives.

Findings

Characterizes optimal cell associations using fluid models.

Provides insights into global and user-specific optimal solutions.

Bridges game theory and transport theory in network optimization.

Abstract

The basic optimal transportation problem consists in finding the most effective way of moving masses from one location to another, while minimizing the transportation cost. Such concept has been found to be useful to understand various mathematical, economical, and control theory phenomena, such as Witsenhausen's counterexam-ple in stochastic control theory, principal-agent problem in microeco- nomic theory, location and planning problems, etc. In this work, we focus on mobile association problems: the determina-tion of the cells corresponding to each base station, i.e., the locations at which intelligent mobile terminals prefer to connect to a given base station rather than to others. This work combines game theory and optimal transport theory to characterize the solution based on fluid approximations. We characterize the optimal solution from both the global network and the mobile user points of view.