Collaborative Research: C-HetNet -Towards Spectrum and Energy Efficient Next Generation Wireless Access Networks

This project is sponsored by NSF under grant ECCS-1308006, "C-HetNet - Towards Spectrum and Energy Efficient Next Generation Wireless Access Networks" .

Overview

This project is sponsored by NSF under grant ECCS-1308006, "C-HetNet - Towards Spectrum and Energy Efficient Next Generation Wireless Access Networks" .

Project Abstract

The objective of this research is to exploit and establish the theoretical foundations to support the design of next generation cooperative, clean and centralized heterogeneous wireless access networks, or, C-HetNet. The approaches include designing novel algorithms for spectrum efficiency, energy efficiency and quality of service based mobile association, multi-layer interference management and power control, network wide cooperation and dynamic resource allocation in the C-HetNet; and seeking the design principles of balancing and optimizing spectrum efficiency, energy efficiency and quality of service in the C-HetNet.

Intellectual Merit

The project is expected to significantly advance the understanding in the heterogeneous wireless networks, which are expected to play a key role in meeting the future data capacity explosion and energy consumption escalation. The project will address the unique technical challenges in the C-HetNet and explore new solutions to spectrum and energy efficiency in mobile association, multi-layer interference management and power control, and dynamic cooperative resource allocation.

Broader Impacts

The C-HetNet research activities have significant potentials to revolutionize wireless access networking technologies and wireless cross-layer design approaches. The research will provide a new wireless network paradigm to meet the ever-increasing wireless traffic demand and to address the needs on network cost reduction and global environmental protection; and will improve many application scenarios such as coverage extension, hotspots, and emergency network deployment for public safety, disaster rescues and medical applications. The research outcomes will be disseminated through publications and seminars and will be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate courses taught by the PIs.

Personnel

Dr. Rose Qingyang Hu (PI and Lab Director)

Students:

Alumni:

  • Yiran Xu (PhD Student) defended in May 2016. [Dissertation download]
  • Xue Chen, (PhD Student) defended in May 2016. [Dissertation download]
  • Zekun Zhang, (PhD Student) defended in December 2018. [Dissertation download]
  • Haijian Sun, (PhD Student) defended in May 2019. [Dissertation download]
  • Sego Cameron (Master Student)
  • Mary Hallewell (Master Student)

Collaborators on this project

Prof. Yi Qian, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Prof. Feng Ye, University of Dayton

Publications

Journal Papers

  1. C. Niu, Y. Li, R. Qingyang Hu and F. Ye, "Femtocell-enhanced multi-target spectrum allocation strategy in LTE-A HetNets," in IET Communications, vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 887-896, 20 4 2017.
  2. C. Niu, Y. Li, R. Q. Hu and F. Ye, "Fast and Efficient Radio Resource Allocation in Dynamic Ultra-Dense Heterogeneous Networks," in IEEE Access, vol. 5, pp. 1911-1924, 2017.
  3. C. Yang, J. Li, R. Q. Hu and J. Xiao, "Distributed Optimal Cooperation for Spectral and Energy Efficiency in Hyper-Dense Small Cell Networks," in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 154-160, June 2017.
  4. L. Feng, H. Yang, R. Q. Hu and J. Wang, "MmWave and VLC-Based Indoor Channel Models in 5G Wireless Networks," in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 70-77, October 2018.
  5. L. Feng, R. Q. Hu, J. Wang, P. Xu and Y. Qian, "Applying VLC in 5G Networks: Architectures and Key Technologies," in IEEE Network, vol. 30, no. 6, pp. 77-83, November-December 2016.
  6. L. Feng, R. Q. Hu, J. Wang and Y. Qian, "Deployment Issues and Performance Study in a Relay-Assisted Indoor Visible Light Communication System," in IEEE Systems Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 562-570, March 2019.
  7. D. Wu, Y. Cai, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Dynamic Distributed Resource Sharing for Mobile D2D Communications," in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 5417-5429, Oct. 2015.
  8. H. Zhang, C. Jiang, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Self-organization in disaster-resilient heterogeneous small cell networks," in IEEE Network, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 116-121, March-April 2016.
  9. L. Wei, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and G. Wu, "Energy Efficiency and Spectrum Efficiency of Multihop Device-to-Device Communications Underlaying Cellular Networks," in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 367-380, Jan. 2016.
  10. S. Sun, B. Rong, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Spatial Domain Management and Massive MIMO Coordination in 5G SDN," in IEEE Access, vol. 3, pp. 2238-2251, 2015.
  11. Y. Li, C. Niu, F.Ye, and R. Q. Hu, "A universal frequency reuse scheme in LTE‐A heterogeneous networks." Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing 16.17 (2016): 2839-2851.
  12. Y. Xu, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and T. Znati, "Video Quality-Based Spectral and Energy Efficient Mobile Association in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks," in IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 805-817, Feb. 2016.
  13. D. Wu, L. Zhou, Y. Cai, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Energy-Aware Dynamic Cooperative Strategy Selection for Relay-Assisted Cellular Networks: An Evolutionary Game Approach," in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 63, no. 9, pp. 4659-4669, Nov. 2014.
  14. L. Wei, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and G. Wu, "Energy Efficiency and Spectrum Efficiency of Multihop Device-to-Device Communications Underlaying Cellular Networks," in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 367-380, Jan. 2016.
  15. L. Wei, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and G. Wu, "Key elements to enable millimeter wave communications for 5G wireless systems," in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 136-143, December 2014.
  16. D. Wu, L. Zhou, Y. Cai, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "The role of mobility for D2D communications in LTE-advanced networks: energy vs. bandwidth efficiency," in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 66-71, April 2014.
  17. L. Wei, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and G. Wu, "Enable device-to-device communications underlaying cellular networks: challenges and research aspects," in IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 52, no. 6, pp. 90-96, June 2014.
  18. R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "An energy efficient and spectrum efficient wireless heterogeneous network framework for 5G systems," in IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 94-101, May 2014.

Conference Papers

  1. B. Xie, Z. Zhang, R. Q. Hu, and Y. Qian, "Outage and spectral efficiency study in cooperative wireless heterogeneous networks," 2017 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), Paris, 2017, pp. 1-6.
  2. H. Sun, Q. Wang, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Outage Probability Study in a NOMA Relay System," 2017 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), San Francisco, CA, 2017, pp. 1-6.
  3. R. Q. Hu and Z. Zhang, "Dynamic power splitting between information and power transfer in non-orthogonal multiple access (invited paper)," 2017 9th International Conference on Wireless Communications and Signal Processing (WCSP), Nanjing, 2017, pp. 1-7.
  4. X. Zhang, S. Sun, F. Qi, R. Bo, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Massive MIMO Based Hybrid Unicast/Multicast Services for 5G," 2016 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Washington, DC, 2016, pp. 1-6.
  5. Z. Zhang, H. Sun and R. Q. Hu, "Downlink and Uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access in a Dense Wireless Network," in IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, vol. 35, no. 12, pp. 2771-2784, Dec. 2017.
  6. Z. Zhang, H. Sun, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Stochastic Geometry Based Performance Study on 5G Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access Scheme," 2016 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Washington, DC, 2016, pp. 1-6.
  7. Z. Zhang and R. Q. Hu, "Uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access with Fractional Power Control," 2017 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), San Francisco, CA, 2017, pp. 1-6.
  8. B. Xie, Z. Zhang, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Spectral efficiency analysis in wireless heterogeneous networks," 2016 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), Kuala Lumpur, 2016, pp. 1-6.
  9. X. Chen, R. Q. Hu, J. Jeon and G. Wu, "Optimal Resource Allocation and Mode Selection for D2D Communication Underlaying Cellular Networks," 2015 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), San Diego, CA, 2015, pp. 1-6.
  10. Y. Xu, H. Sun, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Cooperative Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access in Heterogeneous Networks," 2015 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), San Diego, CA, 2015, pp. 1-6.
  11. Z. Zhang, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "D2D communication underlay in uplink cellular networks with distance based power control," 2016 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), Kuala Lumpur, 2016, pp. 1-6.
  12. Z. Zhang, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and A. Papathanassiou, "D2D Communication Underlay in Uplink Cellular Networks with Fractional Power Control and Fractional Frequency Reuse," 2015 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), San Diego, CA, 2015, pp. 1-7.
  13. Z. Shu, Y. Qian and R. Q. Hu, "Delay based channel allocations in multi-hop cognitive radio networks," 2015 International Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing Conference (IWCMC), Dubrovnik, 2015, pp. 1475-1480.
  14. X. Chen, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Coverage study of dense device-to-device communications underlaying cellular networks," 2014 IEEE Global Communications Conference, Austin, TX, 2014, pp. 4353-4358.
  15. Z. Zhang, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian, A. Papathanassiou and G. Wu, "D2D communication underlay uplink cellular network with fractional frequency reuse," 2015 11th International Conference on the Design of Reliable Communication Networks (DRCN), Kansas City, MO, 2015, pp. 247-250.
  16. X. Chen, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Distributed resource and power allocation for device-to-device communications underlaying cellular network," 2014 IEEE Global Communications Conference, Austin, TX, 2014, pp. 4947-4952.
  17. X. Chen, R. Q. Hu, J. Jeon and G. Wu, "Energy efficient resource allocation for D2D communication underlaying cellular networks," 2015 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), London, 2015, pp. 2943-2948.
  18. Y. Xu, R. Q. Hu, L. Wei and G. Wu, "QoE-aware mobile association and resource allocation over wireless heterogeneous networks," 2014 IEEE Global Communications Conference, Austin, TX, 2014, pp. 4695-4701.
  19. Y. Xu, R. Q. Hu, Y. Qian and T. Znati, "Tradeoffs in video transmission over wireless heterogeneous networks: Energy, bandwidth and QoE," 2015 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), London, 2015, pp. 3483-3489.
  20. Z. Shu, J. Zhou, Y. Qian and R. Q. Hu, "Adaptive channel allocation and routing in cognitive radio networks," 2013 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Atlanta, GA, 2013, pp. 4542-4547.
  21. L. Wei, Y. Xu, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "An algebraic framework for mobile association in wireless heterogeneous networks," 2013 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Atlanta, GA, 2013, pp. 4940-4945.
  22. F. Ye, J. Zhou, Y. Qian and R. Q. Hu, "Application-aware routing for multi-hop cognitive radio networks with channel bonding," 2013 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Atlanta, GA, 2013, pp. 4372-4377.
  23. L. Wei, R. Q. Hu, T. He and Y. Qian, "Device-to-device(d2d) communications underlaying MU-MIMO cellular networks," 2013 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Atlanta, GA, 2013, pp. 4902-4907.
  24. X. Lei, R. Q. Hu, Feifei Gao and Yi Qian, "Switch-and-stay combing for two-way relay networks with multiple amplify-and-forward relays," 2013 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM), Atlanta, GA, 2013, pp. 4226-4231.

Education

ECE5600 Introduction to Computer Networks

Course Objectives

This course covers all the basic and fundamental algorithms and protocols for computer networks. The scope mainly focuses on TCP/IP protocols stack layers and its applications. The PI gave undergraduate students research updates on new communication technologies such as D2D and architecures such as Cloud/Fog and Mobile Edge Computing that can enhance IoT network reliability and scalabiity.


ECE6600 Wireless and Mobile Networks

Course Objectives

This course provides students an understanding of the structure, system aspects and protocols of wireless networks and basic performance evaluation capabilities. The focus is on the generations of cellular networks, satellite networks, WirelessMANs, WirelessLANs, and Wireless PANs. The PI gave entry-level graduate students research updates on new communication technologies such as D2D, NOMA, mmWave, massive MIMO, and architecures such as Cloud/Fog and Mobile Edge Computing that can enhance IoT network reliability and scalabiity.

Prerequisites
ECE 5600 Introduction to Computer Networks


ECE7600 Advanced Wireless Networks

Course Objectives

In this course, we will discuss issues that better define and characterize wireless links and their implications for higher-layer protocol design and optimization. Specifically, we will study the following issues: (T1) control knobs for improving wireless network capacity, including interference management, power control, physical carrier sense tuning, radio resource management, temporal/spatial diversity, and scheduling; (T2) mobility management; (T3) energy efficiency, spectral efficiency, scalability, and reliability in wireless networks; and (T4) case studies: wireless heterogeneous networks and IoT networks.

Research papers related to this project were presented as lectures in the class.

Prerequisites
ECE 5600 Introduction to Computer Networks
ECE6600 Wireless and Mobile Networks


New lecture materials are available upon request

Outreach

Prof. Rose Hu is an IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer during 01/01/2015 - 12/31/2018. She was invited to numerous US and international universities as well as IEEE local chapters including IEEE ComSoC South America Chapter, Taibei Chaper, East Africa Chapter, Orange County Chapter, Foothill etc., to deliver the technical talks based on her research outcomes from this project.

Software
  1. 1. Z. Zhang, H. Sun and R. Q. Hu, "Downlink and Uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access in a Dense Wireless Network," in IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, vol. 35, no. 12, pp. 2771-2784, Dec. 2017. [Code download]
  2. 2. H. Sun, Q. Wang, R. Q. Hu and Y. Qian, "Outage Probability Study in a NOMA Relay System," 2017 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), San Francisco, CA, 2017, pp. 1-6. [Code download]

More source codes are available upon request.

Acknowledgments

NSF