Uplink Power Control in Integrated Access and Backhaul Networks

TL;DR

This paper proposes a genetic algorithm-based power control method for integrated access and backhaul networks, enhancing uplink coverage and performance in 5G and beyond, especially with millimeter wave channels.

Contribution

It introduces a novel genetic algorithm approach for joint power control of user equipment and IAB nodes, optimizing uplink coverage in IAB networks.

Findings

Power control improves uplink coverage significantly.

Proper deployment reduces interference effects.

Millimeter wave channels enable high performance with minimal interference.

Abstract

Integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network is a novel radio access network (RAN) solution, enabling network densification for 5G and beyond. In this paper, we use power control combined with resource allocation algorithms to develop efficient IAB networks with high service coverage. Particularly, we develop a genetic algorithm-based solution for the power control of both user equipments and IAB nodes such that the network uplink service coverage probability is maximized. Finally, considering millimeter wave channel models, we study the effect of different parameters including minimum data rate requirement, coverage distance and transmit power on the network performance. As we show, a power allocation schemes with well-tuned parameters can improve the uplink performance of IAB networks considerably. Moreover, with millimeter wave communications and a proper network deployment, the effect of interference on the service coverage probability is negligible.