Adaptive resource allocation and scheduling for multiuser packet-based OFDM networks

As we move towards the next generation wireless communications systems featured by all IP-based protocols and heterogeneous traffic calls, new issues arise in designing resource management algorithms. They include the random packet arrival, limited buffer space, various QoS requirements, and user fairness. In this paper, we propose a cross-layer adaptive resource allocation algorithm for packet-based OFDM systems. This algorithm takes into consideration not only the physical channel conditions but also the random traffic arrival, QoS requirements, and user fairness observed at the link layer. Results show that the proposed algorithm greatly enhances the system spectral efficiency and improves the queuing performance thanks to the successful exploitation of statistical multiplexing flexibility and system diversity in the frequency, time and user domains.