Efficient user pairing algorithm for enhancement of spectral efficiency and interference cancelation in downlink NOMA system

A new subcarrier-user allocation algorithm for the downlink non-orthogonal multiple access system is presented in this paper. The proposed algorithm aims to enhance the spectral efficiency of the system and the successive interference cancelation performance by guaranteeing a high difference in channel-gain between the paired users per subcarrier. To enhance the spectral efficiency, the proposed algorithm provides a higher priority to the subcarrier that has a higher best (maximum) channel gain value rather than that has a lower best channel gain value. Also, it pairs the strong user with the second minimum channel-gain user rather than the minimum channel gain user. Besides, the proposed algorithm divides the subcarriers into two groups according to the standard deviation of the channel gain of each subcarrier. Then, it gives the priority to the group with low standard deviation values during subcarrier-user allocation to guarantee a high difference in channel-gain between the paired users per subcarrier. Later, fractional transmit power allocation is applied to distribute the subcarrier power between the paired users. Simulation results prove that the proposed algorithm improves the spectral efficiency of the system, and guarantees a significantly higher difference in channel-gain between the paired users per subcarrier compared to the conventional algorithms.