Robust Noncooperative Spectrum Sharing Game in Underwater Acoustic Interference Channels

This paper focuses on underwater acoustic (UA) communications and proposes a decentralized spectrum sharing method for noncooperative orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing systems in interference channels. The problem is formulated as a noncooperative game where the players are UA communication systems aiming at finding the power allocation on subcarriers that maximizes a utility function related to their information rate. Realistic assumptions regarding the UA context are formulated. Frequency-selective and randomly time-varying channels are considered. Each system is constrained in average power and adapts its power allocation strategy only with local knowledge of its channel statistics and noise plus interference power spectral density. This knowledge is obtained through a feedback link from the receiver. Estimation errors on the channel statistics are taken into account, thanks to a robust reformulation of the game. We show that an efficient decentralized spectrum sharing can be achieved when all players use a water-filling strategy against each other iteratively. Simulations results are obtained on synthetic but realistic channels. In configurations where the UA communication systems are in close areas, significant increases of spectral efficiencies can be expected compared to the conventional uniform power allocation. Results on channels sounded at sea support our conclusions.