Applications of Game Theory for
Radio Resource Management in
Wireless Networks
Vaggelis G. Douros
[email protected]
«ΤΟ ΟΠΑ ΕΡΕΥΝΑ»
11.03.2014
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Outline
1994, Nobel Econ. 2001
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Grand Bazaar, IST
Motivation & Challenges(1)
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“The number of mobile-connected devices will
exceed the world’s population by 2014”, Cisco, 2014
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Map of Fon Wi-Fi APs in (part of) London, April 2013
–
via http://corp.fon.com/maps
Motivation & Challenges(2)

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via wikipedia: Europe
mobile phone penetration
map
Motivation & Challenges(3)
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Too many devices coexist
in the same area
and compete for radio
spectrum
–
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(-) very limited resource
The problem: (-) Too much
interference
The challenge: (How) Can
we control it?
National Telecommunications
and Information Administration,
Spectrum Map, USA, 2012
On the Interference Mitigation in
Wireless Networks Through…
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Power control (PC): How to
choose the transmission
power to achieve a Quality of
Service (QoS) target
Some challenges for a
successful power control
algorithm [1]
http://wcdma3g.blogspot.gr/
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Power Control Using Game Theory
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We focus on scenarios where nodes have
different QoS targets and (at least some
of) them are autonomous (e.g., APs)
We need distributed power control
schemes
Competition for resources among players
=(non-cooperative) game theory
Key Issues/Our Roadmap:
Has the game a Nash Equilibrium (NE)?
How can we find it?
Is it unique? If not, which to choose?
Is it (Pareto) efficient?
Non-Cooperative Power Control in
Small Cell Networks [2]
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low-power devices that operate
in licensed spectrum
More devices…more
interference!
Two-tier small cell network
Our work: Study efficient
coexistence with GT
http://www.smallcellforum.org
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Power Control & Bargaining for Wireless
Providers Revenue Improvement

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Both Blue and Gold providers
transmit at Pmax and earn X
and Y €
Our work: Can we do it better?
Blue makes a ‘take it or leave it’
offer to the Gold
–
–
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“I give you E € to reduce your
power t times”
X’-E>X
Gold accepts iff Y’+E>Y
Win-win scenario
Power Control Using Bargaining in
Wireless Devices (1) [3]
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Trunc(ated) Power Control [Zander, TVT ’92]
I
achieved
my QoS
target 
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I am 40%
below my
QoS target
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I am 20%
below my
QoS target

I am 15%
below my
QoS target

(-) Unfair for this node – no opportunity to achieve its target
More importantly: how to oblige an autonomous entity to
power off?
Power Control Using Bargaining in
Wireless Devices (2)
•
We cannot dictate to an AP to power off/reduce its
I offer you
power!
I am 15%
I
achieved
my QoS
target 
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100 credits if
I am 40%
you reduce
below my
your power
QoS target
20%
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OK!
No
I am 20%
belowthanks!
my
QoS target

below my
QoS target
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Our work: Unsatisfied links negotiate in pairs. Each one
uses part of its budget to make an offer to the other
Channel Access in Device-toDevice (D2D) Communication [4]
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More devices…more interference
Our work: Channel access in D2D scenarios 
which device should transmit/receive data when
Devices decide autonomously using game theory
Glimpses of the Future
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We have a lot to do! Your contributions are
welcome! ;-)
References
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[1] V.G. Douros and G.C. Polyzos, “Review of Some
Fundamental Approaches for Power Control in Wireless
Networks,” Elsevier Computer Communications, 2011.
[2] V.G. Douros, S. Toumpis and G.C. Polyzos, “Power Control
Under Best Response Dynamics for Interference Mitigation in a
Two-Tier Femtocell Network,” Proc. WIOPT-RAWNET, 2012.
[3] V.G. Douros, G.C. Polyzos and S. Toumpis, “NegotiationBased Distributed Power Control in Wireless Networks with
Autonomous Nodes,” Proc. VTC2011-Spring, 2011.
[4] V.G. Douros, S. Toumpis and G.C. Polyzos, “On the Nash
Equilibria of Graphical Games for Channel Access in Multihop
Wireless Networks,” Proc. WCNC-Wireless Evolution beyond
2020, 2014.
 Ευχαριστώ! 
Vaggelis G. Douros
Mobile Multimedia Laboratory
Department of Informatics
Athens University of Economics and Business
[email protected]
http://mm.aueb.gr/~douros
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