Concurrent association in heterogeneous networks with underlay D2D communication

Abstract

Deployment of Device-to-Device (D2D) communication within dense heterogeneous networks is a key solution in order to face the intense demand for high data rates and quality of the service in future 5G networks. However, this imposes challenges to develop innovative network selection mechanisms that account for both energy efficiency and user experience. In this paper, we propose a network association framework for heterogeneous systems where uplink data transfers can leverage direct device-to-infrastructure (D2I) links as well as underlay D2D connections. The proposed methodology is based on a distributed approach that optimizes the users' objectives, while accounting for the interference that underlaying D2D communication may cause, in order to enhance system performance and support reliable connectivity. Furthermore, to fully exploit the potential of D2D communication and prevent selfish behavior, a dynamic pricing strategy maximizing the profits of both source and relay nodes is proposed. Our results show that the proposed scheme provides significant performance gains and high efficiency compared to the centralized approach.