Modeling and Analysis of Emerging Trends in Device-to-Device Networks
Device-to-device (D2D) communications enabling direct communication between devices located in close proximity have several benefits compared to the conventional approach of communicating through a base station in a cellular network. First, the spectral efficiency of the direct link is typically much higher due to a smaller link distance. Second, this circumvents the need to establish an end-to-end link through a base station, thereby offloading traffic from cellular networks. Third, while the D2D network can be visualized as an ad hoc network, it incurs a much lower protocol overhead due to the assistance it gets from the existing cellular network. All these benefits make it an attractive component for both the current 4G and the future 5G networks. In this talk, I will present a new comprehensive framework for the analysis of D2D networks in which the device locations are modeled by a Poisson cluster process. This model accurately captures the fact that the devices engaging in D2D communication typically form small clusters. Using this model, we characterize the performance of a variety of device and cluster-centric content placement strategies. One of the key outcomes of our analysis is evaluating an optimum number of D2D transmitters that must be simultaneously activated per cluster to maximize area spectral efficiency.