User-Centric Clustering and Power Control in Cell-Free Networks with Dynamic TDD

Dynamic time division duplex (D-TDD) in distributed multiple-input multiple-output (D-MIMO) networks allows for efficient management of asymmetric traffic demands but introduces cross link interference (CLI). This paper addresses these operational conflicts by analyzing the joint application of both user clustering and power control strategies. By first creating disjoint clusters and then relaxing constraints to allow multiple user equipment (UE) connections per access point (AP), the considered strategy promotes allocation fairness and improves overall quality of service (QoS). Additionally, we evaluate the impact of fractional power control (FPC) within this re-clustering framework. Results indicate that combining dynamic cooperation clustering (DCC) with fractional power control (FPC) not only improves packet delay and spectral efficiency (SE) for disadvantaged user equipment (UE) devices, but also drastically enhances the system's energy efficiency (EE) and mitigates CLI, which ultimately improves downlink (DL) performance.