LTE-Unlicensed Coexistence Mechanism: A Matching Game Framework

Integrating LTE-A into unlicensed spectrum using carrier aggregation, LTE-Unlicensed is considered as a promising solution with the benefits of enhanced transmission and seamless user experience. However, it is still facing some major design challenges, especially the coexistence of multiple systems (LTE/Wi-Fi) within the shared unlicensed spectrum. In this work, a matching game framework is presented to tackle the coexistence issues. Specifically, wireless users (i.e., cellular users and Wi-Fi users), which interfere with each other when they operate on the same unlicensed band, are modeled as matching players. The coexistence issues between the LTE/Wi-Fi systems can thus be modeled as the interactions between LTE/Wi-Fi users using suitable matching games. In addition, the matching framework allows definition of the preference lists and matching optimality as ways to interpret various system requirements and objectives. Together with the low-complexity and semi-distributive implemented algorithms, the matching framework can accommodate many application-oriented coexistence issues in LTE-Unlicensed. Specific implementation scenarios, as well as experimental results, are analyzed to demonstrate the potential of the matching-based approaches in the LTE-Unlicensed design.