Load-balanced clustering approach for cooperative D2D communications in cellular networks

Abstract

With their high power processors, current smartphones generally support simultaneous LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity. Moreover, using hybrid communication with clustering has significant potential to increase the overall performance of cellular networks. In this paper, a load-balanced clustering algorithm is proposed that maximizes the per-user throughput using clustering while assuring fair burdening of the offloaded packet transmissions for all user devices. The performance analysis is conducted using an ns-3 simulator and is compared with the legacy transmission mechanism of LTE, and the greedy clustering algorithm that selects the best-channel quality device as the cluster head(CH). The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed clustering algorithm e？ectively increases the per-user throughput and fair transmission of the o？oaded packets.