Distributed resource allocation schemes

In this article, we discuss distributed resource allocation schemes in which each transmitter determines its allocation autonomously, based on the exchange of interference prices. These schemes have been primarily motivated by the common model for spectrum sharing in which a user or service provider may transmit in a designated band provided that they abide by certain rules (e.g., a standard such as 802.11). An attractive property of these schemes is that they are scalable, i.e., the information exchange and overhead can be adapted according to the size of the network.