Adaptive Cross-Network Cross-Layer Design in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

A cross-network cross-layer design method is proposed to exploit the trunking, diversity, and best service assignment gains available in a heterogeneous wireless network (HWN), consisting of orthogonal radio access networks (RANs) and interference-limited RANs. Accounting for traffic-level dynamics and channel fading, we jointly design the distribution strategy for elastic and inelastic traffic, and the radio resource management strategy for RANs, in a network-separable control architecture. Optimal and quantified near-optimal radio allocation schemes are proposed for each type of RAN, which are combined into an on-line design framework that over time provides asymptotically optimal performance, maximizing the sum throughput utility for elastic traffic while guaranteeing the throughput requirements of inelastic traffic. Extensive simulation results demonstrate substantial performance improvement against suboptimal alternatives.