A QoS-providing resource allocation scheme in multiuser multicarrier systems

The resource allocation problem at the downlink of a wireless multiuser multicarrier system is addressed, where each end user in the cell has two QoS requirements that need to be fulfilled, namely the minimum data throughput and the maximum latency time. Under these QoS constraints and with limited available radio resources (frequency band and transmit power), the capacity of the system in terms of the number of servable users is to be maximized. A cross-layer framework is introduced where subchannel assignment, power allocation, adaptive modulation and coding, and ARQ protocol are jointly taken into account. Due to the complex structure of the optimization a suboptimal solution is proposed, which is shown by numerical experiments to be computationally tractable yet yielding relatively satisfactory system performance.