In this paper, a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) architecture is constructed, and the effectiveness of mmWave overlay heterogeneous network (HetNet) with mesh backhaul utilizing route-multiplexing and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) utilizing prefetching algorithm is verified by measuring the throughput and the download time of real contents. The architecture can cope with the intensive mobile data traffic since data delivery utilizes multiple backhaul routes based on the mesh topology, i.e. route-multiplexing mechanism. On the other hand, MEC deploys the network edge contents requested in advance by nearby User Equipment (UE) based on pre-registered context information such as location, destination, demand application, etc. to the network edge, which is called prefetching algorithm. Therefore, mmWave access can be fully exploited even with capacity-limited backhaul networks by introducing the proposed algorithm. These technologies solve the problems in conventional mmWave HetNet to reduce mobile data traffic on backhaul networks to cloud networks. In addition, the proposed architecture is realized by introducing wireless Software Defined Network (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV). In our architecture, the network is dynamically controlled via wide-coverage microwave band links by which UE's context information is collected for optimizing the network resources and controlling network infrastructures to establish backhaul routes and MEC servers. In this paper, we develop the hardware equipment and middleware systems, and introduce these algorithms which are used as a driver of IEEE802.11ad and open source software. For 5G and beyond, the architecture integrated in mmWave backhaul, MEC and SDN/NFV will support some scenarios and use cases.

The fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication system is being researched and developed for launch as a commercial service in 2020. The 5G mobile network will include many radio access technologies, such as LTE, 5G NR, and WLAN. Therefore, a user equipment (UE) will be connected to different types of base stations as it moves within a 5G heterogeneous network. Accordingly, it is assumed that the throughput will change with each change in the serving cell. The 5G mobile network is expected to serve large capacity contents, such as 4K videos. However, a conventional video streaming method cannot effectively use the available bandwidth in a 5G heterogeneous network. In this study, we propose a sending rate adaptation method based on predictions for the available bandwidth. In the proposed method, the available bandwidth is predicted from the communication log data. The communication logging database, including past throughput with its location, is created by a UE. A UE refers to the communication log data for predictions when the serving cell is likely to change. We develop a video streaming device that implements the proposed method and evaluates its performance. The results show that the proposed method can change the sending rate and resolution according to the available bandwidth. The proposed method increases the probability of transmitting high-resolution video, which is not possible with conventional methods. Moreover, we performed subjective evaluation of the transmitted video by the proof-of-concept test. The result of the subjective evaluation shows that the proposed method improves the quality of experience for video streaming.

Network-listening-based synchronization is recently attracting attention as an effective timing synchronization method for indoor small-cell base stations as they cannot utilize GPS-based synchronization. It uses only the macro-cell downlink signal to establish synchronization with the overlaying macro cell. However, the loop-back signal from the small-cell base station itself interferes with the reception of the macro-cell downlink signal in the deployment of co-channel heterogeneous networks. In this paper, we investigate a synchronization method that avoids loop-back interference by muting small-cell data transmission and shifting small-cell transmission timing. Our proposal enables to reduce the processing burden of the network listening and mitigate the throughput degradation of the small cell caused by the data-transmission mutation. In addition to this, the network-listening system enables the network listening in dense small cell deployments where a large number of neighboring small cells exist. We clarify the performance of our proposal by computer simulations and laboratory experiments on actual equipment.

The demand for wireless traffic is increasing rapidly, which has posed huge challenges to mobile network operators (MNOs). A heterogeneous network (HetNet) framework, composed of a marcocell and femtocells, has been proved to be an effective way to cope with the fast-growing traffic demand. In this paper, we assume that both the macrocell and femtocells are owned by the same MNO, with revenue optimization as its ultimate goal. We aim to propose a pricing strategy for macro-femto HetNets with a user centric vision, namely, mobile users would have their own interest to make rational decisions on selecting between the macrocell and femtocells to maximize their individual benefit. We formulate a Stackelberg game to analyze the interactions between the MNO and users, and obtain the equilibrium solution for the Stackelberg game. Via extensive simulations, we evaluate the proposed pricing strategy in terms of its efficiency with respect to the revenue optimization.

In this paper, we clarify the issues in a metropolitan environment involving overlying frequency bands with various bandwidths and propose a cell selection scheme that improves the communications quality based on user and network characteristics. Different frequency bands with various signal bandwidths will be overlaid on each other in forthcoming fifth-generation (5G) radio access networks. At the same time, services, applications or features of sets of user equipment (UEs) will become more diversified and the requirements for the quality of communications will become more varied. Moreover, in real environments, roads and buildings have irregular constructions. Especially in an urban or metropolitan environment, the complex architecture present in a metropolis directly affects radio propagation. Under these conditions, the communications quality is degraded because cell radio resources are depleted due to many UE connections and the mismatch between service requirements and cell capabilities. The proposed scheme prevents this degradation in communications quality. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is evaluated in an ideal regular deployment and in a non-regular metropolitan environment based on computer simulations. Simulation results show that the average of the time for the proposed scheme from the start of transmission to the completion of reception at the UE is improved by approximately 40% compared to an existing cell selection scheme that is based on the Maximum Signal-to-Interference plus Noise power Ratio (SINR).

LTE-Advanced heterogeneous networks (HetNets), consisting of conventional Macrocells overlaid by Picocells and forming a hierarchical cell structure, constitute an attractive way of improving the Macrocell capacity and coverage. However, the inter-tier interferences in such systems can significantly reduce the capacity and cause unacceptably high levels of control channel outage. Thus time domain Enhanced Inter-cell Interference Coordination (eICIC), such as almost blank subframe (ABS) and cell range expansion (CRE) techniques, has been proposed to mitigate the interference and improve the system capacity in HetNets. In order to acquire the benefit of eICIC technology efficiently, the three parameters, i.e. ABS ratio, ABS power and CRE bias, should be carefully configured jointly. Motivated by the above considerations, we first propose a single parameter optimization algorithm that fixes the other two parameters and then optimizes them separately. Then, a heuristic joint parameter optimization algorithm is proposed to maximize the system throughput. Extensive simulation results illustrate that the proposed algorithms clearly outperform the fixed parameter configuration, and is close to that of the traversal search algorithm even though they have lower computation complexity

Heterogeneous network (HetNet) is now considered to be a promising technique for enhancing the coverage and reducing the transmit power consumption of the next 5G system. Deploying small cells such as femtocells in the current macrocell networks achieves great spatial reuse at the cost of severe cross-tier interference from concurrent transmission. In this situation, two novel energy efficient power control and resource allocation schemes in terms of energy efficiency (EE)-fairness and EE-maximum, respectively, are investigated in this paper. In the EE-fairness scheme, we aim to maximize the minimum EE of the femtocell base stations (FBSs). Generalized Dinkelbach's algorithm (GDA) is utilized to tackle this optimization problem and a distributed algorithm is proposed to solve the subproblem in GDA with limited intercell coordination, in which only a few scalars are shared among FBSs. In the EE-maximum scheme, we aim to maximize the global EE of all femtocells which is defined as the aggregate capacity over the aggregate power consumption in the femtocell networks. Leveraged by means of the lower-bound of logarithmic function, a centralized algorithm with limited computational complexity is proposed to solve the global EE maximization problem. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithms outperform previous schemes in terms of the minimum EE, fairness and global EE.

Given the rapid development of current wireless communication systems has led to two major challenges: energy conservation and interference avoidance. Addressing these challenges is critical for sustaining modern green communications. This paper proposes two energy-efficient schemes for a heterogeneous network environment. The schemes include a cell switching strategy and a power control technique. The proposed schemes can save energy while maintaining the service quality for users. Simulation results showed that compared with conventional schemes, the proposed schemes reduced energy consumption by up to 18% more and further enhanced the system energy efficiency by up to 22% without using any switch-off procedure.

Heterogeneous hetworks (HetNets) have been introduced as an emerging technology in order to meet the increasing demand for mobile data. HetNets are a combination of multi-layer networks such as macrocells and small cells. In such networks, users may suffer significant cross-layer interference. To manage this interference, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has introduced enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) techniques. Almost Blank SubFrame (ABSF) is one of the time-domain techniques used in eICIC solutions. We propose a dynamically optimal Signal-to-Interference-and-Noise Ratio (SINR)-based ABSF framework to ensure macro user performance while maintaining small user performance. We also study cooperative mechanisms to help small cells collaborate efficiently in order to reduce mutual interference. Simulations show that our proposed scheme achieves good performance and outperforms the existing ABSF frameworks.

This paper focuses on system level simulation of heterogeneous networks (HetNet). Aiming at the imbalance offloading of macro cell and pico cell under the macro-pico coexistence case, we propose an adaptive cell-specific association strategy for HetNet to ensure that users can be served equitably by both macro cell and pico cell. The traditional cell range expansion (CRE) scheme with bias-based cell association has fixed bias values for all pico cells. Our proposal, on the other hand, sets different thresholds of attached users for all MeNB (macro enhanced node B) and PeNBs (pico enhanced node B), and all cell-specific biases are obtained by the proposed adaptive association strategy according to different cell-specific predefined thresholds. With this strategy, the load imbalance between MeNB and different PeNBs is well alleviated, and hence the entire network performance is elevated. Moreover, due to the newly deployed low-power nodes in HetNets, the achieved spectral efficiency of users, especially for cell edge users, is also affected by the downlink inter-cell interference. The idea we put forward is to combine the frequency and power coordination, and so suppress the inter-cell interference. Finally in this paper, we present some numerical results to verify the effectiveness of our proposed approach.

In order to support the increasing amount of mobile data traffic, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is actively discusses cell range expansion (CRE) and time domain multiplexing – inter-cell interference coordination (TDM-ICIC). They have shown to be attractive techniques for heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployment where pico base stations (BSs) overlay macro BSs. There are two control schemes of the TDM-ICIC. One, named ZP-scheme, stops radio resource assignments for data traffic in predetermined radio resources in the time domain (subframes). The other, named RP-scheme, maintains the resource assignment whereas it reduces the transmission power at macro BSs at predetermined subframes. In this paper, we clarify the effective ranges of both ZP-scheme and RP-scheme by conducting the system level simulations. Moreover, the appropriate power reduction value at predetermined subframes is also clarified from the difference in the effective range of various power reduction values. The comprehensive evaluation results show that both ZP-scheme and RP-scheme are not effective when the CRE bias value is 0 dB or less. If the CRE bias value is larger than 0 dB, they are effective when the ratio of predetermined subframes in all subframes is set to appropriate values. These values depend on the CRE bias value and power reduction in the predetermined subframes. The effective range is expanded when the power reduction in the predetermined subframes changes with the CRE bias value. Therefore, the effective range of RP-scheme is larger than that of ZP-scheme by setting an appropriate power reduction in the predetermined subframes.

Scheduling restriction is attracting much attention in LTE-Advanced as a technique to reduce the power consumption and network overheads in interference coordinated heterogeneous networks (HetNets). Such a network with inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) provides two radio resources with different channel quality statistics. One of the resources is protected (unprotected) from inter-cell interference (hence, called protected (non-protected) resource) and has higher (lower) average channel quality. Without scheduling restriction, the channel quality feedback would be doubled to reflect the quality difference of the two resources. We present a simple scheduling restriction scheme that addresses the problem without significant performance degradation. Users with relatively larger (smaller) average channel quality difference between the two resources are scheduled in the protected (non-protected) resource only, and a boundary user, determined by a proportional fair resource allocation (PFRA) under simplified static channels, is scheduled on one of the two resources or both depending on PFRA. Having most users scheduled in only one of the resources, the power consumption and network overheads that would otherwise be required for the channel quality feedback on the other resource can be avoided. System level simulation of LTE-Advanced downlink shows that the performance degradation due to our scheduling restriction scheme is less than 2%, with the average feedback reduction of 40%.

The heterogeneous network (HetNet), which deploys small cells such as picocells, femotcells, and relay nodes within macrocell, is regarded as a cost-efficient and energy-efficient approach to resolve increasing demand for data bandwidth and thus has received a lot of attention from research and industry. Since small cells share the same licensed spectrum with macrocells, concurrent transmission induces severe interference, which causes performance degradation, particularly when coordination among small cell base stations (BSs) is infeasible. Given the dense, massive, and unplanned deployment of small cells, mitigating interference in a distributed manner is a challenge and has been explored in recent papers. An efficient and innovative approach is to apply cognitive radio (CR) into HetNet, which enables small cells to sense and to adapt to their surrounding environments. Consequently, stations in each small cell are able to acquire additional information from surrounding environments and opportunistically operate in the spectrum hole, constrained by minimal inducing interference. This paper summarizes and highlights the CR-based interference mitigation approaches in orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based HetNet networks. With special discussing the role of sensed information at small cells for the interference mitigation, this paper presents the potential cross-layer facilitation of the CR-enable HetNet.

Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) can provide higher capacity and user throughput than homogeneous networks in Long Term Evolution (LTE)-Advanced systems. However, because of increased interference from neighboring cells and the characteristics of the embedded small cells, handover performance is impacted adversely, especially when the user equipment (UE) moves at medium or high speeds. In this paper, to improve mobility performance, we propose two schemes, i.e., 1) using wideband signal-to-interference noise ratio (SINR) as the handover metric and 2) emergency attaching. The schemes can enhance mobility performance since handovers are performed based on the quality of the radio link. Importantly, the two schemes compliment rather than contradict each other. System-level simulations show that both the individual proposed schemes and the joint schemes can improve mobility performance significantly.

We have seen a rapid increase in mobile data traffic in cellular networks, especially in densely populated areas called “hotspots.” In order to deal with this trend, heterogeneous networks (HetNet) are attracting much attention as a method of effectively accommodating such traffic increases using the Long Term Evolution (LTE)-Advanced system in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). This paper first presents an overview of HetNet, where various wireless nodes can be deployed over the coverage area formed by macro base stations (BSs). Next, various evaluation results are provided for HetNet, where pico BSs (“Pico-BSs”) are deployed over the coverage area of macro BSs (“Macro-BSs”). Then, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis, not only of the effect of overlaying Pico-BSs but also a detailed analyses of the techniques called “cell range expansion (CRE)” and “enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (eICIC)” for facilitating the offloading of user terminals (UEs) from Macro-BSs to Pico-BSs and mitigating interference, respectively, for both downlink and uplink. Noteworthy outcomes found through the comprehensive study are that CRE provides throughput improvements for uplinks, especially for UE connected to Pico-BSs. In addition, this paper demonstrates that CRE contributes to improving downlink throughput especially for low traffic loads. The outcome regarding eICIC is that eICIC provides improvements in total throughput, in spite of the fact that eICIC causes unfairness between UE connected to the Pico-BSs and those with Macro-BSs.