Multi-domain Resource Multiplexing Based Secure Transmission for Satellite-Assisted IoT: AO-SCA Approach

Due to the wireless broadcasting and broad coverage in satellite-supported Internet of things (IoT) networks, the IoT nodes are susceptible to eavesdropping threats. Considering the distance difference between satellite and nearby destinations is negligible, the main and wiretapping channels between satellite and IoT node are similar, it poses great challenges to reach physical layer security in satellite-assisted IoT networks. In this paper, to guarantee secure transmissions for satellite-assisted IoT downlink communications, the multi-domain resource multiplexing based secure approach is proposed. Particularly, the self-induced co-channel interference between adjacent nodes is leveraged to increase the difference of signal transmission quality over both main and wiretapping channels. By comprehensively optimizing multi-domain resources, i.e., frequency, power, and spatial domains, secure transmissions from satellite to IoT nodes are reached. Specifically, the problem to maximize the sum secrecy rate of IoT nodes is formulated with a constraint of common communication rate of IoT nodes. To solve this non-convex problem, an alternating optimization (AO) algorithm with two inner successive convex approximation (SCA) algorithms are executed to solve the power allocation, spectral multiplexing, and precoding. In addition, simulation results are carried out to evaluate the secrecy rate performance and verify the efficiency of our proposed approach.