Network controlled joint radio resource management for heterogeneous networks

In this paper, we propose a way of achieving optimally in radio resource management (RRM) for heterogeneous networks. We consider a micro or femto cell with two co-localized radio access technologies (RAT), e.g. WLAN and HSDPA. RAT are mainly characterized by the data rates they offer at a given distance of the access point. Dual-technology mobile stations (MS) are initiating downlink sessions in the considered cell. A network controlled joint RRM algorithm is responsible to assign MS to a RAT, while taking into account the joint spatial distribution of already accepted MS, the current load of each RAT, the location of the newly accepted session and its influence on the global performance. In a study based on the Semi Markov Decision Process (SMDP) theory, we show how to obtain an optimal policy. Optimality is here defined through a utility function accounting for user satisfaction.