Enhancing Uplink Communication in Wireless Powered Communication Networks Through Rate-Splitting Multiple Access and Joint Resource Optimization
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Wireless Powered Communication Networks
1.2. Rate-Splitting Multiple Access
1.3. Related Works
1.4. Motivation and Contributions
- We propose an RSMA-aided WPCN framework for a two-user system, where WET occurs in the downlink and RSMA is applied in the uplink WIT. This design exploits RSMA’s interference management capabilities to enhance uplink communication efficiency.
- Two distinct optimization problems are formulated: (a) maximizing the sum throughput to improve overall network efficiency and (b) optimizing fairness to ensure balanced resource allocation among users. These problems are addressed by jointly optimizing the rate-splitting factors and time allocations for the WET and WIT phases. The non-convex nature of these problems is tackled using the simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) method, which provides an efficient and scalable solution.
- Through comprehensive numerical simulations, we analyze the trade-offs between sum throughput and fairness optimization objectives, providing critical insights into the applicability of RSMA in WPCNs. Our results demonstrate RSMA’s potential to achieve balanced performance in energy and communication efficiency, underscoring its relevance for next-generation WPCNs.
2. System Model
2.1. Phase 1: Downlink Energy Harvesting
2.2. Phase 2: Uplink Data Transmission Using RSMA
- determines how efficiently the harvested energy is allocated for uplink transmission.
- The ratio determines how much energy is allocated for uplink transmission relative to the total harvested energy.
- Increasing results in more energy harvested, but it also reduces the available time for data transmission, creating a trade-off.
- and are the transmit powers of and , respectively, which depend on the harvested energy.
- and are the respective channel coefficients of the users.
- control the sub-messages.
- represents the additive white Gaussian noise at the H-AP with zero mean and variance .
- satisfies .
RSMA Decoding Process at the H-AP
3. Problem Formulation and Network Resource Optimization
3.1. Sum Throughput Maximization Problem
3.2. Fairness Problem
4. Simultaneous Perturbation Stochastic Approximation (SPSA)-Based Solution
Algorithm 1 Proposed solution based on SPSA for solving and |
|
5. Simulation Results and Discussion
- RSMA (Rate-Splitting Multiple Access):RSMA shows the proposed scheme where the power allocation coefficients and time allocation for the users are both optimized using the SPSA algorithm.
- FPRSMA (Fixed Power RSMA):FPRSMA is a variation of RSMA where the power allocation coefficients for the users are fixed and equally divided (, ). However, the time allocation is dynamically optimized using the SPSA algorithm to maximize system performance.
- NONRSMA (Non-RSMA, Time-Division Multiple Access):NONRSMA represents a scheme that adopts a time-division multiple access (TDMA) approach for uplink data transmission. In this scheme, time allocation between users is optimized using SPSA, but RSMA principles (e.g., power splitting) are not employed.
- OMA (Orthogonal Multiple Access):OMA represents a fully orthogonal scheme where time allocation is fixed and predefined. Unlike the other schemes, OMA does not incorporate SPSA-based optimization, serving as a baseline for comparison.
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Kamath, S.; Anand, S.; Buchke, S.; Agnihotri, K. A Review of Recent Developments in 6G Communications Systems. Eng. Proc. 2023, 59, 167. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rojek, I.; Kotlarz, P.; Dorożyński, J.; Mikołajewski, D. Sixth-Generation (6G) Networks for Improved Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communication in Industry 4.0. Electronics 2024, 13, 1832. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zhang, Z.; Xiao, Y.; Ma, Z.; Xiao, M.; Ding, Z.; Lei, X.; Karagiannidis, G.K.; Fan, P. 6G Wireless Networks: Vision, Requirements, Architecture, and Key Technologies. IEEE Veh. Technol. Mag. 2019, 14, 28–41. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tataria, H.; Shafi, M.; Molisch, A.F.; Dohler, M.; Sjöland, H.; Tufvesson, F. 6G Wireless Systems: Vision, Requirements, Challenges, Insights, and Opportunities. Proc. IEEE 2021, 109, 1166–1199. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Guo, F.; Yu, F.R.; Zhang, H.; Li, X.; Ji, H.; Leung, V.C.M. Enabling Massive IoT Toward 6G: A Comprehensive Survey. IEEE Internet Things J. 2021, 8, 11891–11915. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zhang, H.; Shlezinger, N.; Guidi, F.; Dardari, D.; Imani, M.F.; Eldar, Y.C. Near-Field Wireless Power Transfer for 6G Internet of Everything Mobile Networks: Opportunities and Challenges. IEEE Commun. Mag. 2022, 60, 12–18. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Verma, S.; Kaur, S.; Khan, M.A.; Sehdev, P.S. Toward Green Communication in 6G-Enabled Massive Internet of Things. IEEE Internet Things J. 2021, 8, 5408–5415. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lu, X.; Wang, P.; Niyato, D.; Kim, D.I.; Han, Z. Wireless Networks with RF Energy Harvesting: A Contemporary Survey. IEEE Commun. Surv. Tutor. 2015, 17, 757–789. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bi, S.; Zeng, Y.; Zhang, R. Wireless powered communication networks: An overview. IEEE Wirel. Commun. 2016, 23, 10–18. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bi, S.; Ho, C.K.; Zhang, R. Wireless powered communication: Opportunities and challenges. IEEE Commun. Mag. 2015, 53, 117–125. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ramezani, P.; Jamalipour, A. Toward the Evolution of Wireless Powered Communication Networks for the Future Internet of Things. IEEE Netw. 2017, 31, 62–69. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Jamshed, M.A.; Ali, K.; Abbasi, Q.H.; Imran, M.A.; Ur-Rehman, M. Challenges, Applications, and Future of Wireless Sensors in Internet of Things: A Review. IEEE Sens. J. 2022, 22, 5482–5494. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Moloudian, G.; Hosseinifard, M.; Kumar, S.; Simorangkir, R.B.V.B.; Buckley, J.L.; Song, C.; Fantoni, G.; O’Flynn, B. RF Energy Harvesting Techniques for Battery-Less Wireless Sensing, Industry 4.0, and Internet of Things: A Review. IEEE Sens. J. 2024, 24, 5732–5745. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Liu, X.; Qin, Z.; Gao, Y.; McCann, J.A. Resource Allocation in Wireless Powered IoT Networks. IEEE Internet Things J. 2019, 6, 4935–4945. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ju, H.; Zhang, R. Throughput Maximization in Wireless Powered Communication Networks. IEEE Trans. Wirel. Commun. 2014, 13, 418–428. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zhang, L.; Liang, Y.C.; Niyato, D. 6G Visions: Mobile ultra-broadband, super internet-of-things, and artificial intelligence. China Commun. 2019, 16, 1–14. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zhang, M.; Shen, L.; Ma, X.; Liu, J. Toward 6G-Enabled Mobile Vision Analytics for Immersive Extended Reality. IEEE Wirel. Commun. 2023, 30, 132–138. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zawish, M.; Dharejo, F.A.; Khowaja, S.A.; Raza, S.; Davy, S.; Dev, K.; Bellavista, P. AI and 6G Into the Metaverse: Fundamentals, Challenges and Future Research Trends. IEEE Open J. Commun. Soc. 2024, 5, 730–778. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Clerckx, B.; Joudeh, H.; Hao, C.; Dai, M.; Rassouli, B. Rate splitting for MIMO wireless networks: A promising PHY-layer strategy for LTE evolution. IEEE Commun. Mag. 2016, 54, 98–105. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mao, Y.; Dizdar, O.; Clerckx, B.; Schober, R.; Popovski, P.; Poor, H.V. Rate-Splitting Multiple Access: Fundamentals, Survey, and Future Research Trends. IEEE Commun. Surv. Tutor. 2022, 24, 2073–2126. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mishra, A.; Mao, Y.; Dizdar, O.; Clerckx, B. Rate-Splitting Multiple Access for 6G—Part I: Principles, Applications and Future Works. IEEE Commun. Lett. 2022, 26, 2232–2236. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Clerckx, B.; Mao, Y.; Schober, R.; Poor, H.V. Rate-Splitting Unifying SDMA, OMA, NOMA, and Multicasting in MISO Broadcast Channel: A Simple Two-User Rate Analysis. IEEE Wirel. Commun. Lett. 2020, 9, 349–353. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Liu, L.; Zhang, R.; Chua, K. Multi-Antenna Wireless Powered Communication with Energy Beamforming. IEEE Trans. Commun. 2014, 62, 4349–4361. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hameed, I.; Tuan, P.V.; Camana, M.R.; Koo, I. Optimal Energy Beamforming to Minimize Transmit Power in a Multi-Antenna Wireless Powered Communication Network. Electronics 2021, 10, 509. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wang, D.; Tellambura, C. Performance Analysis of Energy Beamforming WPCN Links with Channel Estimation Errors. IEEE Open J. Commun. Soc. 2020, 1, 1153–1170. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Song, D.; Shin, W.; Lee, J.; Poor, H.V. Sum-Throughput Maximization in NOMA-Based WPCN: A Cluster-Specific Beamforming Approach. IEEE Internet Things J. 2021, 8, 10543–10556. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Khazali, A.; Tarchi, D.; Shayesteh, M.G.; Kalbkhani, H.; Bozorgchenani, A. Energy Efficient Uplink Transmission in Cooperative mmWave NOMA Networks with Wireless Power Transfer. IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol. 2022, 71, 391–405. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Liu, Y.; Na, Z.; Liu, A.; Deng, Z. A Hybrid Multiple Access Scheme in Wireless Powered Communication Systems. In Communications, Signal Processing, and Systems, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Communications, Signal Processing, and Systems, Urumqi, China, 20–22 July 2019; Liang, Q., Wang, W., Liu, X., Na, Z., Jia, M., Zhang, B., Eds.; Springer: Singapore, 2020; pp. 1528–1532. [Google Scholar]
- Afridi, A.; Hameed, I.; García, C.E.; Koo, I. Throughput Maximization of Wireless Powered IoT Network with Hybrid NOMA-TDMA Scheme: A Genetic Algorithm Approach. IEEE Access 2024, 12, 65241–65253. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mao, Y.; Clerckx, B.; Li, V.O. Rate-Splitting for Multi-User Multi-Antenna Wireless Information and Power Transfer. In Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE 20th International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in Wireless Communications (SPAWC), Cannes, France, 2–5 July 2019; pp. 1–5. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Camana Acosta, M.R.; Moreta, C.E.G.; Koo, I. Joint Power Allocation and Power Splitting for MISO-RSMA Cognitive Radio Systems with SWIPT and Information Decoder Users. IEEE Syst. J. 2021, 15, 5289–5300. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Camana, M.R.; Garcia, C.E.; Koo, I. Rate-Splitting Multiple Access in a MISO SWIPT System Assisted by an Intelligent Reflecting Surface. IEEE Trans. Green Commun. Netw. 2022, 6, 2084–2099. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Abbasi, O.; Yanikomeroglu, H. Transmission Scheme, Detection and Power Allocation for Uplink User Cooperation with NOMA and RSMA. IEEE Trans. Wirel. Commun. 2023, 22, 471–485. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Khisa, S.; Elhattab, M.; Arfaoui, M.A.; Sharafeddine, S.; Assi, C. Power Allocation and Beamforming Design for Uplink Rate-Splitting Multiple Access with User Cooperation. IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol. 2024, 73, 10738–10743. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Xiao, F.; Wen, M.; Yang, L.; Tsiftsis, T.A.; Liu, H. Intelligent Rate-Splitting Multiple Access-Enabled Coordinated Direct and Relay Transmission. IEEE Wirel. Commun. Lett. 2024, 13, 2606–2610. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Reference | Technique | Objective | Key Limitation | How Our Work Addresses Limitation |
---|---|---|---|---|
[15] | Time allocation in WPCNs | Maximizes throughput by balancing WET and WIT | Does not address interference and fairness issues | Our work integrates RSMA for interference mitigation and fairness enhancement |
[24] | Energy beamforming in WPCNs | Improves power transfer efficiency | Limited by multi-user interference and inefficient resource allocation | Our joint optimization of RSMA-based power allocation overcomes these issues |
[26] | NOMA-based WPCN | Enhance spectral efficiency | Suffers from high inter-user interference in uplink | RSMA effectively manages interference using rate splitting |
[30] | RSMA for SWIPT | Optimizse energy harvesting and data rate trade-offs | Focuses only on downlink RSMA, no uplink extension | Our work extends RSMA to WPCNs in the uplink |
[33] | Cooperative RSMA in uplink | Improve fairness and throughput using amplify-and-forward relaying | No consideration of energy harvesting in WPCNs | We integrate RSMA into WPCNs while optimizing energy efficiency |
Our Proposed Work | RSMA-aided WPCN | Optimizes throughput, fairness, and energy efficiency | Addresses all limitations above | Joint optimization of RSMA parameters in WPCNs using SPSA |
Symbol | Description | Unit |
---|---|---|
Channel coefficient between H-AP and user i | - | |
Transmit power at the H-AP | dBm | |
Energy harvested by user i | Joules | |
Energy conversion efficiency of user i | - | |
Time allocated for downlink energy harvesting | Seconds | |
Time allocated for uplink transmission | Seconds | |
Transmit power of user i in uplink | Watts | |
Power allocation coefficient for RSMA for user i | - | |
Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) of stream | - | |
Achievable rate of user i | bps/Hz | |
Variance of additive Gaussian noise at H-AP | dBm | |
Objective function in optimization problem | - | |
SPSA step size and perturbation constant | - | |
Perturbation vector in SPSA optimization | - | |
N | Number of iterations in SPSA algorithm | - |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Hameed, I.; Camana, M.R.; Sejan, M.A.S.; Song, H.K. Enhancing Uplink Communication in Wireless Powered Communication Networks Through Rate-Splitting Multiple Access and Joint Resource Optimization. Mathematics 2025, 13, 888. https://doi.org/10.3390/math13050888
Hameed I, Camana MR, Sejan MAS, Song HK. Enhancing Uplink Communication in Wireless Powered Communication Networks Through Rate-Splitting Multiple Access and Joint Resource Optimization. Mathematics. 2025; 13(5):888. https://doi.org/10.3390/math13050888
Chicago/Turabian StyleHameed, Iqra, Mario R. Camana, Mohammad Abrar Shakil Sejan, and Hyoung Kyu Song. 2025. "Enhancing Uplink Communication in Wireless Powered Communication Networks Through Rate-Splitting Multiple Access and Joint Resource Optimization" Mathematics 13, no. 5: 888. https://doi.org/10.3390/math13050888
APA StyleHameed, I., Camana, M. R., Sejan, M. A. S., & Song, H. K. (2025). Enhancing Uplink Communication in Wireless Powered Communication Networks Through Rate-Splitting Multiple Access and Joint Resource Optimization. Mathematics, 13(5), 888. https://doi.org/10.3390/math13050888