Concept and framework of a self-regulating symbiotic network

Abstract

The concept and framework of a self-regulating symbiotic network planner is introduced as a way to improve the use of available resources and infrastructure and the overall performance of co-located wireless networks. A framework for physical-layer optimization is proposed, based on an advanced and reliable network planner. Besides an optimal network planning including the adjustment of transmit powers, also a symbiotic optimization over different networks and network layers is implemented, a new concept in network cooperation based on shared and variable incentives. In this article, specifically, it is assumed that the co-located networks share the incentive of a lower global power consumption and the newly created symbiotic network is optimized accordingly. Feedback about the signal quality parameters allows optimizing path loss models, finetuning device transmit powers, coping with a changing propagation environment, and improving network reliability. The concept is applied to and experimentally validated with a real-life wireless test environment and a power consumption reduction of 79.5% is obtained, by consecutively enabling energy-saving features of the network planner: intelligent cognitive network planning, symbiotic network cooperation, and transmit power adjustments.