User-centric RRM and Optimizable Protocol Design for beyond-4G RANs

We argue that achieving very high data rates can be accomplished by moving away from system-centric radio resource management (RRM), used in the cellular radio access network (RAN) architecture, and toward advanced user-centric RRM, obtained with top-down RAN protocol design. Systemcentric RRM uses a divide-and-conquer approach, which assigns resources to cells first and to users second. On the other hand, user-centric RRM assigns resources to users first and then finds radio ports to provide these resources, making it potentially more efficient. Top-down optimizable RAN protocol design provides a way to design RAN protocols, which support a wide range of RRM algorithms, ensuring that RRM is not restricted by RAN protocols. Combining the user-centric RRM with the top-down optimizable RAN protocol design approach seems to provide promising approach for advanced RRM in beyond-4G RANs.