Joint Resource Allocation and Power Control for Maximizing the Throughput of Multicast C-RAN

Abstract:
The downlink of multicast Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) is investigated in this work. In such scenarios, on one hand, the achievable rate of a multicasting content is determined and limited by the worst user of the corresponding multicast group. On the other hand, backhaul with limited capacity and individual power constraints of Radio Units (RUs) put more constraints on the design and optimization of such networks. We propose an algorithm to maximize the network multicast throughput, defined as the achievable sum rate of all multicast groups, via a joint power control and backhaul resource allocation among all RUs, as well as power allocation among different multicast groups. Moreover, the optimal multicast beamforming vectors can also be obtained. The algorithm works in an alternating manner, such that we fix the beamformer directions, when the power allocation is optimized and controlled. Then we fix the current achievable SINRs to optimize the beamformer directions. The convergence is proved and the numerical results show the correctness and effectiveness of this algorithm.