Grey Wolf Optimization for Uplink Power Control in User-Centric Cell-Free Massive MIMO

Authors

  • Nguyen Van Cuong School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Vietnam https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8877-7735
  • Hoang Manh Kha School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Tong Van Luyen School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/2025.ACES.J.401104

Keywords:

Grey wolf optimization, max-min fairness, sum-rate maximization, user-centric cell-free massive MIMO, uplink power control

Abstract

User-Centric Cell-Free Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (UC-CFmMIMO) is a promising architecture for B5G networks, offering improved spectral efficiency (SE) and fairness by enabling joint transmission from distributed access points. However, uplink power control remains challenging due to inter-user interference and the decentralized network structure. This paper introduces a Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO)-based uplink power control scheme tailored for UC-CFmMIMO, targeting two practical objectives: maximizing sum SE and enhancing user fairness. Inspired by the hunting behavior of grey wolves, the proposed algorithm efficiently navigates the non-convex solution space without relying on convex assumptions. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed scheme significantly improves fairness among users (e.g., achieving 3.39-bit/s/Hz at a cumulative distribution function (CDF) of 0.1) while maintaining high throughput performance (e.g., 118.99-bit/s/Hz at a CDF of 0.5). Moreover, the algorithm exhibits excellent scalability and computational efficiency, making it a practical and effective solution for large-scale B5G deployments.

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Author Biographies

Nguyen Van Cuong, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Vietnam

Nguyen Van Cuong received the engineer’s and master’s degrees from Hanoi University of Industry, Vietnam, in 2020 and 2022, respectively. He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at Vin University, Vietnam. His research interests include wireless communications, optimization, smart EV charging, green communications, and energy-efficient wireless networks.

Hoang Manh Kha, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Vietnam

Hoang Manh Kha received the B.E. and M.E. degrees in electronics and telecommunications engineering from the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam, in 2002 and 2004, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in communications engineering from the University of Paderborn, Germany, in 2016. His research interests include wireless communication, positioning engineering, and deep learning.

Tong Van Luyen, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tong Van Luyen has been a lecturer at Hanoi University of Industry, Vietnam, since 2002. He received the B.S. degree and M.S. degree from Hanoi University of Science and Technology in 2002 and 2004, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from VNU University of Engineering and Technology in 2019. His research interests are beamforming and artificial intelligence.

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Published

2025-11-30

How to Cite

[1]
N. V. . Cuong, H. M. . Kha, and T. V. . Luyen, “Grey Wolf Optimization for Uplink Power Control in User-Centric Cell-Free Massive MIMO”, ACES Journal, vol. 40, no. 11, pp. 1080–1089, Nov. 2025.

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