An efficient downlink resource allocation scheme in power-limited GEO satellite systems

The integration of Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite constellations into Sixth Generation (6G) framework for cellular networks is essential to achieve global connectivity. Despite the major importance of this integration, current research often underestimates the limitations imposed by available satellite payload power, erroneously assuming a uniform maximum power density distribution across all communication beams. In this paper, we propose an Efficient Downlink Resource Allocation scheme (EDRA) that accounts for transmitting power resource limitations, variable service quality demands, and a heterogeneous number of users. Our approach relies on the thorough analysis of real-world demographic data, allowing us to optimize the allocation of downlink power and time–frequency resources in a practical and effective manner. Furthermore, we introduce an optimization model to maximize the total system revenue, using an iterative algorithm specifically designed to solve complex optimization problems. Numerical simulations demonstrated that the EDRA scheme improved the average network revenue by more than 66% relatively to standard methods, with performance gains increasingly large for an increasing diversity of service types, establishing the robustness and adaptability of the proposed EDRA scheme in the rapidly-evolving context of satellite-based communication systems.