Optimization of femtocell network configuration under interference constraints

Femto BS (base station) is emerging as a key technology to secure the coverage and capacity in indoor environments. However, since the existing macrocell network is overlaid on femtocell networks utilizing the same set of frequency channels, femtocell networks can originate severe co-channel interference to the macrocell network unless the femtocell network is carefully configured. Therefore, according to a desired network-wide objective, we optimize the femtocell network with constraints such that the service connectivity with a femto BS is secured in the target indoor area while the signal emitted out of the building, playing as interference to the outdoor users, should be controlled with an appropriate strength in order not to interrupt the communication between macro BS and outdoor users. Each optimization problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming, and as the results, we obtain not only the transmit power and operational frequency channel of each femto BS, but also the optimal femto BS-to-user association pair at each geographical position.