Performance-Aware Cross-Layer Design in Wireless Multihop Networks Via a Weighted Backpressure Approach

Abstract

In this paper, we study, analyze, and evaluate a performance-aware cross-layer design approach for wireless multihop networks. Through network utility maximization (NUM) and weighted network graph modeling, a cross-layer algorithm for performing jointly routing, scheduling, and congestion control is introduced. The performance awareness is achieved by both the appropriate definition of the link weights for the corresponding application's requirements and the introduction of a weighted backpressure (BP) routing/scheduling. Contrary to the conventional BP, the proposed algorithm scales the congestion gradients with the appropriately defined per-pair (link, destination) weights. We analytically prove the queue stability achieved by the proposed cross-layer scheme, while its convergence to a close neighborhood of the optimal source rates' values is proven via an e-subgradient approach. The issue of the weights' assignment based on various quality-of-service (QoS) metrics is also investigated. Through modeling and simulation, we demonstrate the performance improvements that can be achieved by the proposed approach—when compared against existing methodologies in the literature—for two different examples with diverse application requirements, emphasizing respectively on delay and trustworthiness.