Optimal Power Allocation with Sectored Cells for Sum-Throughput Maximization in Wireless-Powered Communication Networks Based on Hybrid SDMA/NOMA

Abstract

Wireless-powered communication networks (WPCNs) consist of wireless devices (WDs) that transmit information to the hybrid access point (HAP). In this situation, there is interference among WDs that is considered to be noise and causes information loss because of adjacent signals. Moreover, power is limited and can be lost if transmission distance is long. This paper studies sum-throughput maximization with sectored cells for WPCN. We designed a downlink (DL) energy beamforming by sector based on the hybrid space division multiple access (SDMA) and nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) approach to maximize the sum throughput. First, a cell is divided into several sectors, and signals from each sector are transmitted to each antenna of the HAP, so that the signals are not adjacent. Further, the HAP decodes the overlapping information of each sector. Next, power allocation is optimized by sector. To optimize power allocation, a constrained optimization problem is formulated and then converted into a nonconstraint optimization problem using the interior penalty method. The optimal solution derives the maximal value to the problem. Power for each sector is optimally allocated according to this optimal solution. Under this consideration, sum-throughput maximization is performed by optimally allocating DL energy beamforming by sector. We analyzed sum throughput and fairness, and then compared them according to the number of sectors. Performance results show that the proposed optimal power allocation by sector using hybrid SDMA/NOMA outperforms the existing equal power allocation by sector in terms of the sum throughput while fairness is also maintained. Moreover, the performance difference between the hybrid approach and SDMA, which optimally allocates power by sector, was about 1.4 times that of sum throughput on average, and the hybrid approach was dominant. There was also no difference in fairness performance.