Adding edge dynamics to bipartite random-access networks

Abstract

We consider random-access networks with nodes representing transmitter-receiver pairs whose signals interfere with each other depending on their vicinity. Data packets arrive at the nodes over time and form queues. The nodes can be either active or inactive: a node deactivates at unit rate, while it activates at a rate that depends on its queue length, provided none of its neighbors is active. In order to model the effects of user mobility in wireless networks, we analyze dynamic interference graphs where the edges are allowed to appear and disappear over time. We focus on bipartite graphs and study the transition time between the two states where one part of the network is active and the other part is inactive, in the limit as the queue lengths become large. Depending on the speed of the dynamics, we are able to obtain a rough classification of the effects of the dynamics on the transition time.