Joint Scheduling and Throughput Maximization in Self-backhauled Millimeter Wave Cellular Networks

TL;DR

This paper proposes an optimization framework for scheduling access and backhaul links in millimeter wave IAB networks to maximize the minimum access throughput, demonstrating significant improvements over macro-only networks through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a scheduling optimization for mmWave IAB networks considering LOS/NLOS models and antenna gains, enhancing minimum access throughput.

Findings

IAB networks improve minimum access throughput compared to macro-only networks.

Optimization using the revised simplex method effectively maximizes throughput.

Network topology and antenna parameters significantly influence performance.

Abstract

Integrated access and backhaul (IAB) networks have the potential to provide high data rate in both access and backhaul networks by sharing the same spectrum. Due to the dense deployment of small base stations (SBSs), IAB networks connect SBSs to the core network in a wireless manner without the deployment of high-cost optical fiber. As large spectrum is available in mmWave bands and high data rate is achieved by using directional beamforming, the access and backhaul links can be integrated in the same frequency band while satisfying quality-of-service constraints. In this work, we optimize the scheduling of access and backhaul links such that the minimum throughput of the access links is maximized based on the revised simplex method. By considering a probability based line-ofsight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) path loss model and the antenna array gains, we compare the achievable minimum access throughput of the IAB network with the network with only macro base stations, and study the effect of the network topology and antenna parameters on the achievable minimum throughput. Simulation results show that, for a broad range of parameter settings, the implementation of IABs improves the access minimum achievable throughput.