Cross-Layer Resource Allocation for MC-CDMA

In this work we investigate the behaviour of a cross- layer resource assignment scheme for a multi-carrier code division multiple access cellular system composed of two separate stages named Resource Allocation and Scheduling, air interface- aware and unaware respectively. More precisely, we consider different combinations of three scheduling and three resource allocation strategies in the presence of mixed realistic traffic (video and FTP). A channel- and application-aware scheduling strategy implementing a real cross-layer approach is proposed and compared with the traditional Maximum Throughput and the Wireless Fair Service algorithms. We show that the performance of the scheduling policies are seriously influenced by the implemented resource allocation strategy and, in case of heavily traffic loaded system, the proposed adaptive scheduler outperforms the other techniques.