Device-to-device (D2D) communications was initially proposed in cellular networks as a new paradigm for enhancing network performance. The emergence of new applications such as content distribution and location-aware advertisement introduced new user cases for D2D communications in cellular networks. The initial studies showed that D2D communications has advantages such as increased spectral efficiency and reduced communication delay. However, this communication mode introduces complications in terms of interference control overhead and protocols that are still open research problems. The feasibility of D2D communications in Long-Term Evolution Advanced is being studied by academia, industry, and standardization bodies. To date, there are more than 100 papers available on D2D communications in cellular networks, but there is no survey on this field. In this paper, we provide a taxonomy based on the D2D communicating spectrum and review the available literature extensively under the proposed taxonomy. Moreover, we provide new insights into the over-explored and under-explored areas that lead us to identify open research problems of D2D communications in cellular networks.

https://eprints.networks.imdea.org/id/document/2488

A Survey on Device-to-Device Communication in Cellular Networks

Device-to-Device (D2D) communication was initially proposed in cellular networks as a new paradigm to enhance network performance. The emergence of new applications such as content distribution and location-aware advertisement introduced new use-cases for D2D communications in cellular networks. The initial studies showed that D2D communication has advantages such as increased spectral efficiency and reduced communication delay. However, this communication mode introduces complications in terms of interference control overhead and protocols that are still open research problems. The feasibility of D2D communications in LTE-A is being studied by academia, industry, and the standardization bodies. To date, there are more than 100 papers available on D2D communications in cellular networks and, there is no survey on this field. In this article, we provide a taxonomy based on the D2D communicating spectrum and review the available literature extensively under the proposed taxonomy. Moreover, we provide new insights to the over-explored and under-explored areas which lead us to identify open research problems of D2D communication in cellular networks.

The Internet of Things (IoT) envisages a future in which digital and physical things or objects (e.g., smartphones, TVs, cars) can be connected by means of suitable information and communication technologies, to enable a range of applications and services. The IoT’s characteristics, including an ultra-large-scale network of things, device and network level heterogeneity, and large numbers of events generated spontaneously by these things, will make development of the diverse applications and services a very challenging task. In general, middleware can ease a development process by integrating heterogeneous computing and communications devices, and supporting interoperability within the diverse applications and services. Recently, there have been a number of proposals for IoT middleware. These proposals mostly addressed wireless sensor networks (WSNs), a key component of IoT, but do not consider RF identification (RFID), machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), other three core elements in the IoT vision. In this paper, we outline a set of requirements for IoT middleware, and present a comprehensive review of the existing middleware solutions against those requirements. In addition, open research issues, challenges, and future research directions are highlighted.

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Middleware for Internet of Things: A Survey

The future smart grid is envisioned as a large scale cyberphysical system encompassing advanced power, communications, control, and computing technologies. To accommodate these technologies, it will have to build on solid mathematical tools that can ensure an efficient and robust operation of such heterogeneous and large-scale cyberphysical systems. In this context, this article is an overview on the potential of applying game theory for addressing relevant and timely open problems in three emerging areas that pertain to the smart grid: microgrid systems, demand-side management, and communications. In each area, the state-of-the-art contributions are gathered and a systematic treatment, using game theory, of some of the most relevant problems for future power systems is provided. Future opportunities for adopting game-theoretic methodologies in the transition from legacy systems toward smart and intelligent grids are also discussed. In a nutshell, this article provides a comprehensive account of the application of game theory in smart grid systems tailored to the interdisciplinary characteristics of these systems that integrate components from power systems, networking, communications, and control.

Game-Theoretic Methods for the Smart Grid: An Overview of Microgrid Systems, Demand-Side Management, and Smart Grid Communications

Wireless charging is a technology of transmitting power through an air gap to electrical devices for the purpose of energy replenishment. The recent progress in wireless charging techniques and development of commercial products have provided a promising alternative way to address the energy bottleneck of conventionally portable battery-powered devices. However, the incorporation of wireless charging into the existing wireless communication systems also brings along a series of challenging issues with regard to implementation, scheduling, and power management. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of wireless charging techniques, the developments in technical standards, and their recent advances in network applications. In particular, with regard to network applications, we review the static charger scheduling strategies, mobile charger dispatch strategies and wireless charger deployment strategies. Additionally, we discuss open issues and challenges in implementing wireless charging technologies. Finally, we envision some practical future network applications of wireless charging.

Wireless Charging Technologies: Fundamentals, Standards, and Network Applications

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications have emerged as a cutting edge technology for next-generation communications, and are undergoing rapid development and inspiring numerous applications. This article presents an investigation of the application of M2M communications in the smart grid. First, an overview of M2M communications is given. The enabling technologies and open research issues of M2M communications are also discussed. Then we address the network design issue of M2M communications for a home energy management system (HEMS) in the smart grid. The network architecture for HEMS to collect status and power consumption demand from home appliances is introduced. Then the optimal HEMS traffic concentration is presented and formulated as the optimal cluster formation. A dynamic programming algorithm is applied to obtain the optimal solution. The numerical results show that the proposed optimal traffic concentration can minimize the cost of HEMS.

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Machine-to-machine communications for home energy management system in smart grid

In wireless powered networks, a user can make a request and use the wireless energy transferred from an energy source for its data transmission. However, due to broadcast nature of wireless energy transfer (e.g., RF energy), a malicious node (i.e., an attacker) can also intercept the energy and use it to perform an attack by jamming the data transmission of the user. We consider such a jamming attack where the user and attacker are aware of each other. We formulate a game theoretic model to analyze the energy request and data transmission policy of the user and the attack policy of the attacker when the user and the attacker both want to maximize their own rewards. We use an iterative algorithm designed based on the best response dynamics to obtain the solution defined in terms of the constrained Nash equilibrium. The numerical results show not only the convergence of the proposed algorithm, but also the optimal reward of the user under different energy cost constraints.

Game theoretic modeling of jamming attack in wireless powered communication networks

In wireless energy harvesting communication networks, a user receives wireless energy released by an ambient or dedicated energy source, and uses that energy for delay constrained data transmission. However, such data transmission can be susceptible to a jamming attack from a nearby attacker also harvesting from the wireless energy source. In this paper, we consider such a scenario and present performance analysis. In particular, we develop an analytical model for the network based on a Markov chain to obtain various performance measures for the user including throughput and delay distribution. The performance evaluation shows some interesting results. For example, under the jamming attack, there is the maximum throughput achievable by the user. We also validate the analytical model using simulation.

Lu Xiao

Papers

Machine-to-machine communications for home energy management system in smart grid

Game theoretic modeling of jamming attack in wireless powered communication networks

Performance analysis of delay-constrained wireless energy harvesting communication networks under jamming attacks