METHOD OF CONTROLLING RESOURCE USAGE IN
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Management of resources within a wireless communication system is
always of concern. However, with the advent of small cell systems and
their overlap with other wireless communication systems, this concern
has grown. Small cells may include picocells, femtocells, relay nodes
and in general any node that defines explicitly or implicitly a new cell.
When overlapped by a larger or macro cell system, the multiple
systems are considered layers and are collectively referred to as
heterogeneous networks (HTN).
Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of a conventional heterogeneous network
(HTN) having multiple stacked cell layers. Fig. 1 shows the coverage
area of a macro cell served by a macro base station 10 also called an
evolved NodeB or eNodeB. As shown, the coverage area includes a
network 15 of pico cells, each served by a pico base station 20 also
called a pico evolved NodeB or pico eNodeB. User equipment (UE) 25
falls within the coverage area of one or more of the pico base stations
20 and therefore the coverage area of the macro base station 10. The
communication needs of the UE may be served by one of the
communication nodes - pico base stations 20 or macro base station
10. If served by a pico base station 20, the UE's traffic may traverse
the pico network 15 (i.e., from pico eNodeB to pico eNodeB) to a
gateway 40, and from the gateway 40 to other networks and/or the
internet. Also, the UE's traffic may traverse the pico network 15 to the
macro base station 10, and from the macro base station 10 to other
networks and/or the internet. Still further, the UE's traffic may flow
directly to and from the macro base station 10. As will be appreciated
additional and/or different network layers may be present. For
example, in addition to or instead of the pico network 15, a Femto
network may exist or individual Femto cells may exist.
In today's networking architecture for small cells, a well-known X2
interface is established between the small cell of interest and each
neighboring small cell. As shown in Fig. 1, this forms an X2 interface
cloud among the pico base stations 20. Similarly, an X2 interface
between the small cell of interest and each neighboring macrocell are
set up. This is also shown in Fig. 1, with the macro base station 10
having NX2 interfaces with N pico base stations 20. The X2 interfaces
carry information such as for managing interference from base station
to base station. Interference problems are far worse in HTNs because
of the overlapping layers; therefore, managing the use of resources
(e.g., transmission power, transmission rate, etc.), which affect
interference becomes more important.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of controlling resource
usage at a communication node.
In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, at the
communication node, resource usage price information,. The resource
usage price information characterizes a cost associated with the
communication node using a resource. The communication node
determines an amount of the resource to use based on the received
resource usage price information.
For example, the resource may be one of a frequency resource, a time
resource, a power resource and a code resource.
In one embodiment, the receiving step receives a resource usage unit
price for each link associated with the communication node as the
resource usage price information. Each resource usage unit price
characterizes a cost to the communication node to use the resource at
the expense of other communication nodes associated with the link.
For example, each link may represent a virtual link between the
communication nodes associated with a shared air interface.
In one embodiment, the method includes second determining, at the
communication node, an aggregate price quantity from the received
resource usage price information. The aggregate price quantity
characterizes the cost of using the resource at the expense of other
communication nodes being able to use the resource. Here, the
communication node determines the amount of the resource to use
based on the determined aggregate price quantity.
In one embodiment, the receiving step receives a resource usage unit
price for each link associated with the communication node as the
resource usage price information. Each resource usage unit price
characterizes a cost to the communication node to use the resource at
the expense of other communication nodes associated with the link.
Here, the communication node determines the aggregate price
quantity from the received resource usage unit prices.
In one embodiment, the method further includes third determining, at
the communication node for each link with which the communication
node is associated, a next resource usage unit price based on a
current resource usage unit price. The communication node then
sends the determined resource usage unit prices to the
communication nodes associated with the links.
In one embodiment, the communication node determines the amount
of resource to use based on the determined aggregate price quantity
and a utility function. The utility function characterizes utility derived
by the communication node based on the amount of the resource used
at the communication node.
In another embodiment, the method includes sending, from a control
entity, the resource usage price information to the plurality of nodes.
This embodiment may also include determining the resource usage
price information at the control entity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Example embodiments of the present invention will become more fully
understood from the detailed description provided below and the
accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like
reference numerals, which are given by way of illustration only and
thus are not limiting of the present invention and wherein:
Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of a conventional heterogeneous network
(HTN) having multiple stacked cell layers.
Fig. 2 illustrates a portion of a heterogeneous network (HTN) having
multiple stacked cell layers according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
Fig. 3 illustrates a method of controlling resource usage in a
communication network according to an embodiment.
Fig. 4 illustrates a method of controlling resource usage at a
communication node according to an embodiment.
Fig. 5 illustrates a method of controlling resource usage in a
communication network according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
Various example embodiments of the present invention will now be
described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which some example embodiments of the invention are shown.
Detailed illustrative embodiments of the present invention are
disclosed herein. However, specific structural and functional details
disclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describing
example embodiments of the present invention. This invention,
however, may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be
construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein.
Accordingly, while example embodiments of the invention are capable
of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof
are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be
described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no
intent to limit example embodiments of the invention to the particular
forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments of the
invention are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives
falling within the scope of the invention. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout the description of the figures.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may
be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should
not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to
distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element
could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element
could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of
example embodiments of the present invention. As used herein, the
term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the
associated listed items.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being
"connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly
connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements
may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being
"directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are
no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the
relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion
(e.g., "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly
adjacent", etc.).
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular
embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example
embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a",
"an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises", "comprising,", "includes" and/or
"including", when used herein, specify the presence of stated features,
integers, steps, operations, elements, and/ or components, but do not
preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,
integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/ or groups
thereof.
It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the
functions/ acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures.
For example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executed
substantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the
reverse order, depending upon the functionality/ acts involved.
In the following description, illustrative embodiments will be described
with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations (e.g.,,
in the form of flowcharts) that may be implemented as program
modules or functional processes include routines, programs, objects,
components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or
implement particular abstract data types and may be implemented
using existing hardware at existing network elements. Such existing
hardware may include one or more Central Processing Units (CPUs),
digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific-integratedcircuits,
field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) computers or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar
terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities
and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless
specifically stated otherwise, or as is apparent from the discussion,
terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or
"determining" of "displaying" or the like, refer to the action and
processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing
device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical,
electronic quantities within the computer system's registers and
memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities
within the computer system memories or registers or other such
information storage, transmission or display devices.
Note also that the software implemented aspects of the example
embodiments are typically encoded on some form of program storage
medium or implemented over some type of transmission medium. The
program storage medium may be magnetic (e.g.,, a floppy disk or a
hard drive) or optical (e.g.,, a compact disk read only memory, or "CD
ROM"), and may be read only or random access. Similarly, the
transmission medium may be twisted wire pairs, coaxial cable, optical
fiber, or some other suitable transmission medium known to the art.
The example embodiments not limited by these aspects of any given
implementation .
As used herein, the term "user equipment" may be considered
synonymous to, and may hereafter be occasionally referred to, as a
mobile, mobile unit, mobile station, mobile user, subscriber, user,
remote station, access terminal, receiver, etc., and may describe a
remote user of wireless resources in a wireless communication
network. The term "base station" may be considered synonymous to
and/ or referred to as a base transceiver station (BTS), NodeB,
extended NodeB, evolved NodeB, femto cell, pico cell, access point, etc.
and may describe equipment that provides the radio baseband
functions for data and/ or voice connectivity between a network and
one or more users.
Architecture
Fig. 2 illustrates a portion of a heterogeneous network (HTN) having
multiple stacked cell layers according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Fig. 2, like Fig. 1, shows the coverage area of a macro cell
served by a macro base station 10 also called an evolved nodeB or
eNodeB. As shown, the coverage area includes a network 15 of pico
cells, each served by a pico base station 20 also called a pico evolved
NodeB or pico eNodeB. User equipment (UE) 25 falls within the
coverage area of one or more of the pico base stations 20 and therefore
the coverage area of the macro base station 10. The communication
needs of the UE may be served by one of the communication nodes -
pico base stations 20 or macro base station 10. If served by a pico
base station 20, the UE's traffic may traverse the pico network 15 (i.e.,
from pico eNodeB to pico eNodeB) to a local gateway 50, and from the
gateway 50 to other networks and/or the internet. Also, the UE's
traffic may traverse the pico network 15 to the macro base station 10,
and from the macro base station 10 to other networks and/ or the
internet. Still further, the UE's traffic may flow directly to and from
the macro base station 10. As will be appreciated additional and/ or
different network layers may be present. For example, in addition to or
instead of the pico network 15, a Femto network may exist or
individual Femto cells may exist. While Fig. 2 only shows one UE 25,
it will be appreciated that many UEs may be served by the HTN of Fig.
2.
In embodiments of the present invention, each communication node
determines an amount of the resource to use based on resource usage
price information and its own utility function associated with resource
usage. In this discussion, the communication node under discussion
will be referred to as the communication node of interest. The
resource usage price information characterizes a cost associated with
the communication node of interest using a resource, and the utility
function of a communication node of interest characterizes utility
derived by the communication node based on the amount of the
resource used. These concepts will be described in greater detail below.
Statistical Analysis
Before describing the operation of the local gateway 50 and the
communication nodes (e.g., pico nodes 20 and macro node 10) in
detail with respect to Figs. 3 and 4 below, the statistical underpinning
of this operation will be described. For the purposes of this section we
have in general a set of L = {\,...,L} links that constitute a network that
is shared by a set of S = {l,..., N } sources. With respect to Fig. 2, the
sources may be the pico base stations 20 and/or the macro base
station 10. However, in general, the sources are the communication
nodes in a communication system or in an HTN. The link or links may
represent shared air interface resources. For example, with respect to
Fig. 2, assume a first pico base station 20 competes for the air
interface with a second and a third pico base station 20. Namely, the
first, second and third pico base stations 20 generate interference with
respect to one another. Accordingly, the resource may be transmission
power, transmission rate, etc. With respect to the "links," a first link
will represent the conflict between the first and second pico base
stations 20, and a second link will represent the conflict between the
first and third pico base stations 20. Accordingly, the links may be
generated from the view point of the communication node of interest
and the shared resource under consideration. For the air interface, a
link may be said to exist between the communication node of interest
and each communication node causing interference with the
communication node of interest.
However, it will be appreciated that this analysis is not limited to
shared or common resources and these virtual links. Instead, this
analysis may also be applied to direct physical links such as the X2
interfaces between the pico base stations 20. However, for the
purposes of discussion, the more complicated shared air interface
example will be used in explaining the present invention.
Each source is characterized by a utility function Us (xs) that is strictly
concave, increasing and continuously differentiable function of the
resource usage x . For example, the utility function may be a simple
logarithm function such as U (x ) = Log x . In a wireless
communication system, the resource may be one of a frequency
resource, a time resource, a power resource and a code resource. For
example, the resource may be resource blocks, channel codes,
transmission power, transmission rate, reception power, etc. With
respect to Fig. 2 the resource characterizing the shared air interface
may be transmission power, transmission rate, etc. because
management of interference within the HTN may be of importance.
The path L(s) is the set of links that the source is using. For each link
let S(l) ={s e S \I e L(s)} be the set of sources that use this link. The
primal problem can be stated as follows:
max , ( . ) (1)
x s s
subject to x C / =1, . . . , J (2)
where c i is a constraint (e.g., link capacity, maximum transmission
rate over the link, etc.) and equation (2) simply says that the aggregate
resource usage at any link does not exceed the capacity of the link.
This primal optimization problem has a solution since the utility
function is strictly concave and the feasible region is convex. However,
we are after a distributed solution to the problem that is of course
practical in flow/ rate control network problems. To obtain this
solution, the primal problem is converted to its dual equivalent. The
Lagrangian is
The Lagrange dual function is defined as,
g(p) = sup L(x,p) (5)
=max U (x )-x p )+ (6)
where =fe ; and (7)
where p i is the resource usage unit price associated with each link /
and p is an aggregate price quantity at the source. The resource
usage unit price p i characterizes the cost for the source to use the
resource at the expense of other sources connected to the link being
able to use the resource. For example, the resource usage unit price
may be the cost to a first communication node for increasing transmit
power and therefore using the air interface at the expense of a second
communication node being able to use the air interface. Accordingly,
for a resource (e.g., characterized by transmit power in this example)
characterizing a shared commodity (e.g., air interface), the prices may
be associated with other communication nodes, which as discussed
above define the link. Also, while expressed as a single variable, the
resource usage unit price or prices may be functions that vary based
on resource usage. For example, the resource usage unit price may
increase with increasing price. The aggregate price quantity
characterizes the total cost for the source to use the resource at the
expense of other sources linked thereto being able to use the resource.
It should be understood, however, that the aggregate price quantity
may be determined in other ways than simple addition. For example, a
weighted addition may be performed to derive the aggregate price
quantity.
The dual problem is then,
g(p) (8)
P
subject to p (9)
The form of the Lagrange dual function points to the distributed
implementation of the problem in that the amount of resource usage
at a source may be determined as:
max,
s
( ' , ( •)
'
(10)
The resource usage x may be determined based only on local
information such as the aggregate price quantity p and knowledge of
the source's utility Us (xs) .
For example, assuming the resource is transmission rate or
transmission power, the quantity p is the total price per unit
bandwidth across the path that the source is associated with. Thus
when the source transmits a rate of x , then xsp s is the total cost to
satisfy this rate. On the other hand equation (10) represents the total
benefit the source can achieve at a given price p . Since the utility
function and constraints are such that there is no duality gap, the
solution to the dual problem will be also a solution to the primal
problem, and will be the optimal rate to the primal problem. The
solution can be regarded as aligning individual optimality to global
optimality. Namely, by solving for the resource usage unit prices in
equation (8) subject to equation (9), the resource usage unit prices for
the sources in the network that produce global optimality may be
determined. As will be appreciated, determining this solution is an
optimization problem that may be handled according to any wellknown
optimization algorithm such as simplex, interior point method,
etc.
Taking the derivative of each local problem and setting it to zero
provides:
(1 1)
Arriving at the optimal resource usage unit prices p* can now be
achieved iteratively. Gradient projection is applied where resource
usage unit prices are adjusted in the opposite direction to the gradient
of the utility function of the dual problem as shown below:
g(p) =(u (x:)-x P )+P1c1 (12)
where x * is the optimal resource usage solution. This means each
resource usage unit price may be iteratively determines according to:
P l t +l ) =max{P l (t) - , } (13)
where t is time, pi(t+l) is the next resource usage unit price, pi(t) is the
current resource usage unit price, and is a learning coefficient. The
learning coefficient is a design parameter selected by the system
designer, and is generally small, for example, about 0.0 1.
Implementation of Statistical Analysis in Architecture of Fig. 2 -
Centralized Approach
Fig. 3 illustrates a method of controlling resource usage in a
communication network according to an embodiment. For the
purposes of example only, the method will be described as
implemented on the architecture of Fig. 2, but it will be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited to this architecture.
As shown, in step S3 10, the local gateway 50 determines the
configuration of the HTN. For example, the local gateway 50 may
receive messages from the communication nodes (e.g., pico base
stations 20 and macro base station 10) indicating the other
communication nodes to which they are virtually linked, physically
linked, with which they interface, etc. For example, in the shared air
interface context, a communication node of interest may report the
communication nodes generating interference with respect to the
communication node of interest. As an example of a physical link, the
communication nodes may identify their X2 interfaces. These and/or
other messages may indicate the type of links (e.g., air interface, X2
interface), the type of communication nodes, the capabilities and
capacities of the communication nodes and links, etc. Such messages
and the information contained in these messages are very well-known
and are often dictated by the standards under which the networks of
the HTN operate.
It will be also appreciated, that the local gateway 50 may set forth the
configuration information and/or a portion thereof. For example, U.S.
Application No. unknown, filed concurrently with the present
disclosure, by the same inventor, entitled METHOD OF
CONFIGURING INTEFACES BETWEEN A PLURALITY OF
COMMUNICATION NODES, and hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety, provides a method by which the local gateway determines
the interfaces (e.g., X2 interfaces) between the communication nodes.
Accordingly, the messages convey the constraints such as discussed
above with respect to equation (2), but also may convey the utility
functions of communication nodes such as discussed above with
respect to equation (1). For example, each communication node may
be pre-programmed with a utility function depending on the resource.
Alternatively, the local gateway 50 may be programmed with the utility
functions for each communication node or a class of communication
nodes. For example, the local gateway 50 may be programmed to
apply the same utility function to each pico base station 20.
From the configuration information, the local gateway 50 determines
the set of links L(s) that each communication node is using in step
S3 15. For each link S(Z), the local gateway 50 determines the set of
communication nodes S(l) = {s S \ l L(s)} (i.e., sources in the above
statistic analysis section) that use this link in step S320.
Next, in step S325, the local gateway 50 determines the resource
usage unit prices for the links associated with a communication node
according to equations (8) and (9). Namely, the local gateway 50
determines, for each communication node, the resource usage unit
prices i that minimize g(p) subject to p 0 , where
g(p) as discussed above
with respect to equations (6) and (7). From the configuration
information the utility functions and constraints are known, leaving
only the resource usage unit prices as the unknown variables. As
discussed above, determining this solution is an optimization problem
that may be handled according to any well-known optimization
algorithm such as simplex, interior point method, etc.
Having determined the resource usage unit prices, the local gateway
50 sends the resource usage unit prices to the communication nodes
in step S330.
Fig. 4 illustrates a method of controlling resource usage at a
communication node according to an embodiment. For the purposes
of example only, the method will be described as implemented on the
architecture of Fig. 2, but it will be appreciated that the present
invention is not limited to this architecture. The method of Fig. 4 may
be implemented at each communication node (e.g., each of the pico
base stations 20 and macro base station 10). Accordingly,
implementation of the method of Fig. 4 at a single communication
node will be described.
As shown, in step S4 10, the communication node receives resource
usage unit prices. For example, these may be the resource usage unit
prices sent by the local gateway 50 in step S330. In step S4 15, the
communication node of interest determines the aggregate price
quantity p s according to equation (7). Then, in step S420, the
communication node of interest determines the amount of resource to
dU (x ) use according to — - - = p x* = Us, p s )_ , which is equation (1 1)
dx
discussed in detail above, and uses that amount of resource in
operation. As will be recalled, each communication node may be pre
programmed with its utility function Us (x s ) depending on the
resource x . Alternatively, the local gateway 50 may be programmed
with the utility functions for each communication node or a class of
communication nodes. For example, the local gateway 50 may be
programmed to apply the same utility function to each pico base
station 20. In this case, the local gateway 50 sends the utility function
for the communication node to the communication node.
It will be appreciated that by implementing the methods of Figs. 3 and
4, the local gateway 50 controls resource usage in the HTN to provide
for global optimality. For example, where interference is a concern,
transmission power or transmission rate may be set as the resource
and each communication node determines in step S420 its
transmission power or transmission rate.
The embodiment above is not limited to managing a single resource.
Instead, multiple resources may be managed. For example, the
communication nodes may have a different utility function associated
with each resource. Similarly, different constraints may be associated
with each resource. The local gateway 50, therefore, determines
different sets of resource usage unit prices associated with a
communication node for each resource.
It will be obvious that the embodiment may be varied in many ways.
For example, the local gateway 50 may determine the aggregate price
quantity for each communication node, and send each communication
node its aggregate price quantity. This variation would allow steps
S410 and S4 15 of Fig. 4 to be eliminated.
Implementation of Statistical Analysis in Architecture of Fig. 2 -
Distributed Approach
Unlike the embodiment of Fig. 3 in which the local gateway 50
centrally controlled and managed resource usage. In this embodiment,
control of resource usage is distributed to the communication nodes
themselves. Fig. 5 illustrates a method of controlling resource usage in
a communication network according to an embodiment. For the
purposes of example only, the method will be described as
implemented on the architecture of Fig. 2, but it will be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited to this architecture. The
method of Fig. 5 may be implemented at each communication node
(e.g., each of the pico base stations 20 and macro base station 10).
Accordingly, implementation of the method of Fig. 5 at a single
communication node will be described.
As shown, in step S5 10, the communication node of interest
determines the amount of resource to use according to
d (x- ) = p _ x * = Us, p s , which is equation (1 1) discussed in detail
dx
above, and uses that amount of resource in operation. As will be
recalled, each communication node may be pre-programmed with its
utility function Us (xs ) depending on the resource xs . Alternatively, the
local gateway 50 may be programmed with the utility functions for
each communication node or a class of communication nodes and
report the utility functions to the communication nodes. In this initial
determination, the communication node of interest uses a default
price associated with each link to determined the aggregate price
quantity p . For example, the default initial price may be 1 for each
link.
As discussed previously, for a shared resource such as associated
with the air interface, the communication node of interest determines
each link by detecting each interfering source (e.g., each
communication node generating interference with respect to the
communication node of interest). In this manner, each resource usage
price may also be considered as being associated with one of these
interfering communication nodes. These interfering communication
nodes may also be referred to as linked nodes in view of the
hypothetical or virtual link between each interfering communication
node and the communication node of interest.
Next, in step S5 15, the communication node of interest determines a
next resource usage unit price for each link with which the
communication node of interest is associated. Each next resource
usage unit price pi(t+l) is determined according to
d p p,(t +1) =max{pl (t) - ,0} , which is equation (13) above. Here, a
default initial current resource usage unit price pi(t) is used for each
link. This default price may be 1, for example.
In step S520, the communication node of interest reports the
determined resource unit price for each link to the other
communication node associated with that link. Associated therewith,
the communication node of interest receives the resource usage unit
prices from the communication nodes linked thereto in step S525. As
will be appreciated, steps S520 and S525 may be performed
concurrently.
In step S530, the communication node of interest determines the
amount of resource to use according to = p x
*
= j s,(ps ,
dx
which is equation (1 1) discussed in detail above, and uses that
amount of resource in operation. Here, the resource usage unit prices
received in step S525 are used by the communication node of interest
to determine the aggregate price quantity p .
Then, in step S535, the communication node of interest determines a
next resource usage unit price for each link with which the
communication node of interest is associated. Each next resource
usage unit price pi(t+l) is determined according to
P d p (t +1) =max{pl (t) - ,0} , which is equation (13) above.
Processing then returns to step S520, and steps S520 through S535
are continuously reiterated. In this manner, the resource usage unit
prices converge to optimal amounts, and therefore, the amount of
resource used by each communication node converges to an optimal
amount. Still further, as the network configuration and/or operating
conditions change (e.g., new link arise and/or old links terminate), the
determined amount of resource used by each communication node
converges to a new optimal amount.
As will be appreciated in this distributed approach, each
communication node self-determines the optimal amount of resource
to use.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same
may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded
as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are
intended to be included within the scope of the invention.
What is claimed:
1. Amethod of controlling resource usage at a communication node,
comprising:
receiving (S4 10, S525), at the communication node (10, 20),
resource usage price information, the resource usage price
information characterizing a cost associated with the communication
node using a resource; and
first determining (S420, S530), at the communication node, an
amount of the resource to use based on the received resource usage
price information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource is one of a frequency
resource, a time resource, a power resource and a code resource.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein
the receiving step receives a resource usage unit price for each
link associated with the communication node as the resource usage
price information, each resource usage unit price characterizing a cost
to the communication node to use the resource at the expense of other
communication nodes associated with the link.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
second determining (S4 15), at the communication node, an
aggregate price quantity from the received resource usage price
information, the aggregate price quantity characterizing the cost of
using the resource at the expense of other communication nodes
being able to use the resource; and wherein
the first determining step determines the amount of the
resource to use based on the determined aggregate price quantity.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein
the receiving step receives a resource usage unit price for each
link associated with the communication node as the resource usage
price information, each resource usage unit price characterizing a cost
to the communication node to use the resource at the expense of other
communication nodes associated with the link; and
the second determining step determines the aggregate price
quantity from the received resource usage unit prices.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
third determining (S535), at the communication node for each
link with which the communication node is associated, a next
resource usage unit price based on a current resource usage unit
price; and
sending the determined resource usage unit prices to the
communication nodes associated with the links.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving step receives the
aggregate price quantity as the resource price information.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first determining step
determines the amount of resource to use based on the determined
aggregate price quantity and a utility function, the utility function
characterizes utility derived by the communication node based on the
amount of the resource used at the communication node.
9. Amethod of controlling resource usage in a communication
network including a plurality of communication nodes, each
communication node determining an amount of a resource to use
based on resource usage price information, the resource usage price
information characterizing a cost associated with the communication
node using a resource, the method comprising:
sending (S330), from a control entity, the resource usage price
information to the plurality of nodes.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein
the sending step sends at least one communication node at
least one resource usage unit price of a link associated with the
communication node, the resource usage unit price characterizing a
cost to the communication node to use the resource at the expense of
other communication nodes associated with the link; and
determining the resource usage unit price based on a utility
function associated with the communication node, each utility
function characterizing utility derived by the associated
communication node based on the amount of the resource used by the
associated communication node.