Cross-Domain Resource Allocation for Information Retrieving Delay Minimization in UAV-Empowered 6G Network

The deep integration of sensing, communication, caching, and computation (SC3) is emerging as a key feature of 6G network, designed to support ubiquitous intelligent applications and enhance human quality of life. Simultaneously, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been identified as promising edge nodes to bolster terrestrial wireless networks. To harness the coordination benefits of SC3 and address potential conflicts, we propose a UAV-empowered joint SC3 6G network, in which UAVs are outfitted with edge servers to cache and process sensing data from integrated sensing and communication devices before delivering the results to users. To maintain the freshness of sensing data in such network, we formulate an average information retrieving delay minimization problem, coordinating cross-domain resources while considering performance constraints in sensing, communication, and energy. We then develop a cross-domain resource optimization algorithm to jointly design UAV 3D deployment, subcarrier assignment, power control, caching update, and computational resource allocation. This approach combines block coordinate descent, matching theory, and successive convex approximation to iteratively solve the optimization problem. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that the proposed scheme converges rapidly and outperforms benchmark methods in reducing average information retrieving delay through the coordination of SC3 cross-domain resources.