Subframe allocation for relay networks in the LTE advanced standard

The use of relays is a promising way to extend coverage and increase rates in Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE Advanced) networks. Performing a transmission in several hops (BS-relay & relay-user) requires more radio resources than a single hop transmission. This paper analyses how the available radio resource should be allocated between relays and users in order to maximize throughput and/or fairness. Time and frequency multiplexed backhaul is investigated under some basic assumptions on the division of the radio resource. It is shown that the system will typically be backhaul limited and that the two ways of multiplexing will perform equally when fairness is taken into account. The analysis results in throughput/fairness suboptimal solutions, dependant on the number of relays per cell, spectral efficiencies and fraction of users served by relays. The analysis is verified by simulations, performed using a MATLAB based network simulator.