Joint Power and Subcarrier Allocation in Multi-Cell Multi-Carrier NOMA

TL;DR

This paper introduces a global optimal algorithm for joint power and sub-carrier allocation in multi-cell multi-carrier NOMA systems, addressing a key gap in existing single-cell focused solutions, with demonstrated effectiveness.

Contribution

It proposes a polyblock optimization algorithm for multi-cell NOMA, providing a benchmark and practical solutions with reduced complexity and guaranteed optimality.

Findings

Algorithm achieves global optimality for joint resource allocation.

Reduced complexity due to SIC feasibility conditions.

Effective in multi-cell multi-carrier NOMA scenarios.

Abstract

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is a technology proposed for next generation cellular networks because of its high spectral efficiency and enhanced user connectivity. However, in the literature the optimal joint power and sub-carrier allocation for NOMA has been proposed for single cell only. Consequently, a global optimal algorithm for the joint power and sub-carrier allocation for NOMA system in multi-cell scenario is still an open problem. In this work, we propose a polyblock optimization based algorithm for obtaining a global optimal solution. It has reduced complexity due to a necessary and sufficient condition for feasible successive interference cancellation (SIC). Besides, we can adjust its optimization approximation parameter to serve as benchmark solution or to offer suitable practical solution for multi-cell multi-carrier NOMA systems. Numerical studies have shown its effectiveness.