Abstract
This invention provides a joint user clustering and power allocation method and a base station using the same. They are applicable to cooperative non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems. The method includes: sorting K users according to the K channel gains between the base station and the K users, and then establishing a strong user candidate group of K/2 users and a weak user candidate group of K/2 users; paring each of the users in the strong user candidate group with each of the users in the weak user candidate group so as to partition the K users into K/2 clusters, where the power allocation coefficients for each pair of users are also calculated during the paring process; and transmitting signals to the K users based on the calculated power allocation coefficients of the K/2 clusters.