Dynamic Energy Trading for Wireless Powered Communication Networks

Wireless powered communication systems have recently attracted significant interest because of their potential to provide a ubiquitous and sustainable energy supply for communication networks. However, the energy that can be harvested from external energy sources is generally uncontrollable and intermittent. By allowing multiple devices to exchange their harvested energy, dynamic energy trading (DET) is introduced to improve the energy supply reliability and performance of wireless powered communication networks. This article provides an overview of the possible architecture and functional components that enable DET in communication networks. Various design issues on how to implement DET in practice are discussed. An optimal policy is proposed for delay-tolerant wireless powered communication networks in which each wireless powered device can schedule its data transmission and energy trading operations according to current and future energy availability. Finally, some potential topics and challenges for future research are highlighted.