Stackelberg differential game based resource allocation in wireless powered relay networks

In this paper, we investigate the resource allocation problems in wireless powered relay networks (WPRNs), where the relay node can forward information and energy for the source and destination nodes. We use the Stackelberg differential game to formulate the relationships between the relay node and the source/destination nodes. In the proposed game model, the relay node acts as the leader, who controls its information transmission power to minimize the cost during the process of information transmission and energy transfer. The source/destination nodes act as the followers, who control the power level for information transmission and energy transfer to minimize the transmission cost. Differential equations are introduced into the game model to character the dynamic variations of the energy. Finally, the optimal solutions for the source/destination nodes and relay nodes can be obtained based on the open-loop equilibriums of the proposed game. Numerical simulations and results show the effectiveness of the proposed model.