A utility-based OFDM resource allocation scheme for LEO small satellite system

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) small satellite communication networks, operating at higher band, play a significant role to the worldwide information network. Satellite-earth wireless channel fading is the prime impairment factor for degrading the performance of the network. As a pervasive technology used in the fourth-generation (4G) system, OFDM sub-carrier allocation is one of the key issues for satellite network. In this paper, we set up a utility-based framework and maximize the total throughput, considering different quality of service (QoS) requirements of multi-services. Based on the experienced delay, the services queuing delay and delay deadline threshold, we propose a ULHA (Utility-Lagrange-Heuristic Algorithm) for solving the sub-carrier allocation. In the strategy, using the delay from the satellite to mobile terminal, the heuristic algorithm is suggested and simulated. Simulation results show that the sub-carrier allocation algorithms have balanced the system performance between efficiency and fairness. The QoS of real-time services has been well satisfied in the LEO small satellite communication networks.