Game Theoretic Downlink Resource Scheduling for Self-coexisting Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) provide a convenient way to access under-utilized TV bands for wireless radio users. Different co-located networks must have to coexist by accessing different parts of the incumbent free available spectrum in an opportunistic manner. In this paper, we propose a fully distributed non-cooperative game theoretic scheme for resource scheduling in self-coexisting cognitive radio networks. We formulate the downlink resource scheduling problem in self-coexistent CRNs as a non-linear convex optimization problem, which is NP-hard in real world network scenario. An alternate greedy algorithm is developed that produces sub-optimal solution to the resource scheduling problem by dividing it into downlink channel allocation and power assignment sub-problems. We propose a novel utility function for the game to achieve high throughput and an algorithm to guide through the Nash Equilibrium state. Theoretical proof for the Nash Equilibrium has been presented and performance improvements compared to the state-of-the-art works have been depicted through simulation studies.