Scheduling In Wireless Networks Research Articles

Relay-Assisted User Scheduling in Wireless Networks With Hybrid ARQ

This paper studies the problem of relay-assisted user scheduling for downlink wireless transmission. The base station or access point employs hybrid automatic-repeat-request (HARQ) with the assistance of a set of fixed relays to serve a set of mobile users. By minimizing a cost function of the queue lengths at the base station and the number of retransmissions of the head-of-line packet for each user, the base station can schedule an appropriate user in each time slot and an appropriate transmitter to serve it. It is shown that a priority-index policy is optimal for a linear cost function with packets arriving according to a Poisson process and for an increasing convex cost function where packets must be drained from the queues at the base station.

Opportunistic Fair Scheduling in Wireless Networks: An Approximate Dynamic Programming Approach

We consider the problem of temporal fair scheduling of queued data transmissions in wireless heterogeneous networks. We deal with both the throughput maximization problem and the delay minimization problem. Taking fairness constraints and the data arrival queues into consideration, we formulate the transmission scheduling problem as a Markov decision process (MDP) with fairness constraints. We study two categories of fairness constraints, namely temporal fairness and utilitarian fairness. We consider two criteria: infinite horizon expected total discounted reward and expected average reward. Applying the dynamic programming approach, we derive and prove explicit optimality equations for the above constrained MDPs, and give corresponding optimal fair scheduling policies based on those equations. A practical stochastic-approximation-type algorithm is applied to calculate the control parameters online in the policies. Furthermore, we develop a novel approximation method--temporal fair rollout--to achieve a tractable computation. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme achieves significant performance improvement for both throughput maximization and delay minimization problems compared with other existing schemes.

New algorithms for online rectangle filling with k-lookahead

We study the online rectangle filling problem which arises in channel aware scheduling of wireless networks, and present deterministic and randomized results for algorithms that are allowed a k-lookahead for k?2. Our main result is a deterministic min?{1.848,1+2/(k?1)}-competitive online algorithm. This is the first algorithm for this problem with a competitive ratio approaching 1 as k approaches +?. The previous best-known solution for this problem has a competitive ratio of 2 for any k?2. We also present a randomized online algorithm with a competitive ratio of 1+1/(k+1). Our final result is a closely matching lower bound (also proved in this paper) of $1+1/(\sqrt{k+2}+\sqrt{k+1})^{2}>1+1/(4(k+2))$ on the competitive ratio of any randomized online algorithm against an oblivious adversary. These are the first known results for randomized algorithms for this problem.

QoS-guaranteed packet scheduling in wireless networks

To guarantee the quality of service (QoS) of a wireless network, a new packet scheduling algorithm using cross-layer design technique is proposed in this article. First, the demand of packet scheduling for multimedia transmission in wireless networks and the deficiency of the existing packet scheduling algorithms are analyzed. Then the model of the QoS-guaranteed packet scheduling (QPS) algorithm of high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) and the cost function of packet transmission are designed. The calculation method of packet delay time for wireless channels is expounded in detail, and complete steps to realize the QPS algorithm are also given. The simulation results show that the QPS algorithm that provides the scheduling sequence of packets with calculated values can effectively improve the performance of delay and throughput.

Network-Coding-Based Signal Recovery for Efficient Scheduling in Wireless Networks

Interference is a serious problem in wireless communications. In a wireless network, the signal sent by a terminal will be received by all its neighboring nodes. If a neighbor (except the destinations) is receiving data from some other terminals at the same time, the signals will collide, and the useful signal will be destroyed, which may result in transmission failure. Previous solutions to this problem focused on the avoidance of signal collisions through careful medium access control (MAC) and/or scheduling. However, this needs some sophisticated protocols and may waste system resources such as bandwidth. In this paper, we shall put forward some practical schemes to recover the useful signal from the collided signals for different types of wireless channels; thus, the throughput and network efficiency can greatly be increased. The proposed schemes are based on the network coding technique and performed on the physical layer. One feature of our schemes is that neither strict synchronization nor power control is needed among the different terminals; thus, it is very fit for distributed networks. Simulation results will show that the bit error rate (BER) of the recovered signal by our developed schemes is almost the same as that of the signal with no collision, which proves their efficiency in eliminating the interference.

A New Queue Management Scheme for AIMD Based Flows with Proportional Fair Scheduling in Wireless Networks

We study the interaction of TCP and the proportional fair scheduling algorithm in wireless networks. We show that the additive increase and multiplicative decrease algorithm of TCP can favor bad channel users, which results in inefficient use of radio resources. To remedy the problem, a proportional queue management scheme is proposed. The effectiveness of the algorithm is shown by simulations.

Efficient Rate-Guaranteed Opportunistic Scheduling for Wireless Networks

In this paper, we present an efficient rate-guaranteed opportunistic scheduling (ROS) scheme, which optimizes the system throughput performance while satisfying the ldquofairnessrdquo constraint for resource allocation by exploiting time-varying channel states. We prove the optimality of the proposed scheduler via mathematical analysis and show that it has lower computational complexity compared with existing opportunistic scheduling algorithms. We define a new concept of guaranteed-rate node with loss, which is extended from the service curve with a loss model, to analyze the performance bounds of ROS, such as the statistic end-to-end packet delay bound. We validate the mathematical analysis and demonstrate the throughput performance improvement and a delay bound based on ns-2 simulations.

Throughput and Fairness Guarantees Through Maximal Scheduling in Wireless Networks

The question of providing throughput guarantees through distributed scheduling, which has remained an open problem for some time, is addressed in this paper. It is shown that a simple distributed scheduling strategy, maximal scheduling, attains a guaranteed fraction of the maximum throughput region in arbitrary wireless networks. The guaranteed fraction depends on the ldquointerference degreerdquo of the network, which is the maximum number of transmitter-receiver pairs that interfere with any given transmitter-receiver pair in the network and do not interfere with each other. Depending on the nature of communication, the transmission powers and the propagation models, the guaranteed fraction can be lower-bounded by the maximum link degrees in the underlying topology, or even by constants that are independent of the topology. The guarantees are tight in that they cannot be improved any further with maximal scheduling. The results can be generalized to end-to-end multihop sessions. Finally, enhancements to maximal scheduling that can guarantee fairness of rate allocation among different sessions, are discussed.

Providing Differentiated Services Over Shared Wireless Downlink Through Buffer Management

In this paper, we present an opportunistic packet scheduling algorithm based on buffer management (OSBM) over the downlink of a packet cellular network. OSBM is a channel-dependent scheduling algorithm with a provable delay bound. It is able to provide differentiated services to both real-time and nonreal-time applications. Particularly, these features of OSBM are achieved through a novel buffer management scheme. Since this buffer management scheme does not involve any complex online computation, OSBM is very efficient and easy to implement in an operational environment. We also present a new analytical approach for performance analysis of opportunistic scheduling in wireless networks based on the proposed concept of effective downlink capacity (EDC). This approach attempts to adapt the service curve tool for deterministic quality-of-service analysis to the wireless environment, and the concept of the EDC serves to bridge the deterministic method and the stochastic nature of the wireless link. Using this approach, the explicit expression of the delay bound of the OSBM algorithm is obtained. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed opportunistic scheduling algorithm.

Distributed link scheduling with constant overhead

This paper proposes a new class of simple, distributed algorithms for scheduling in wireless networks. The algorithms generate new schedules in a distributed manner via simple local changes to existing schedules. The class is parameterized by integers k \geq 1. We show that algorithm k of our class achieves k /( k +2) of the capacity region, for every k \geq 1. . The algorithms have small and constant worst-case overheads: in particular, algorithm k generates a new schedule using (a) time less than 4 k +2 round-trip times between neighboring nodes in the network, and (b) at most three control transmissions by any given node, for any k . The control signals are explicitly specified, and face the same interference effects as normal data transmissions. Our class of distributed wireless scheduling algorithms are the first ones guaranteed to achieve any fixed fraction of the capacity region while using small and constant overheads that do not scale with network size. The parameter k explicitly captures the tradeoff between control overhead and scheduler throughput performance and provides a tuning knob protocol designers can use to harness this trade-off in practice.

A Large Deviations Analysis of Scheduling in Wireless Networks

In this correspondence, we consider a cellular network consisting of a base station and N receivers. The channel states of the receivers are assumed to be identical and independent of each other. The goal is to compare the throughput of two different scheduling policies (a queue-length-based (QLB) policy and a greedy policy) given an upper bound on the queue overflow probability or the delay violation probability. We consider a multistate channel model, where each channel is assumed to be in one of L states. Given an upper bound on the queue overflow probability or an upper bound on the delay violation probability, we show that the total network throughput of the (QLB) policy is no less than the throughput of the greedy policy for all N. We also obtain a lower bound on the throughput of the (QLB) policy. For sufficiently large N, the lower bound is shown to be tight, strictly increasing with N, and strictly larger than the throughput of the greedy policy. Further, for a simple multistate channel model-ON-OFF channel, we prove that the lower bound is tight for all N

Super-fast delay tradeoffs for utility optimal fair scheduling in wireless networks

We consider the fundamental delay tradeoffs for utility optimal scheduling in a general network with time-varying channels. A network controller acts on randomly arriving data and makes flow control, routing, and resource allocation decisions to maximize a fairness metric based on a concave utility function of network throughput. A simple set of algorithms are constructed that yield total utility within O(1/V) of the utility-optimal operating point, for any control parameter V>0, with a corresponding end-to-end network delay that grows only logarithmically in V. This is the first algorithm to achieve such super-fast performance. Furthermore, we show that this is the best utility-delay tradeoff possible. This work demonstrates that the problem of maximizing throughput utility in a data network is fundamentally different than related problems of minimizing average power expenditure, as these latter problems cannot achieve such performance tradeoffs

Cross-layer multiservice opportunistic scheduling for wireless networks

We consider opportunistic communication in multiservice wireless data networks using centralized controllers. Opportunistic scheduling (OS) is an emerging cross-layer media access control design approach to multiuser communication over fading wireless channels. OS exploits channel variations to maximize wireless throughput. We present a general background of OS schemes and then propose an OS scheme making an optimum trade-off between throughput and fairness, while maintaining stability in different channel environments and guaranteeing minimum service to multiple queues active concurrently at a given user

Cross-layer modeling of adaptive wireless links for QoS support in heterogeneous wired-wireless networks

Future wired-wireless multimedia networks require diverse quality-of-service (QoS) support. To this end, it is essential to rely on QoS metrics pertinent to wireless links. In this paper, we develop a cross-layer model for adaptive wireless links, which enables derivation of the desired QoS metrics analytically from the typical wireless parameters across the hardware-radio layer, the physical layer and the data link layer. We illustrate the advantages of our model: generality, simplicity, scalability and backward compatibility. Finally, we outline its applications to power control, TCP, UDP and bandwidth scheduling in wireless networks.

A high-performance and fair scheduler for the wireless network with a multi-state channel

This work presents a novel scheduler, exponential-rule fair queueing (EFQ), for fair scheduling in wireless networks with a multi-state channel. EFQ prefers flows destined to high-capacity channels to maintain a high throughput, and prefers flows with serious lagging to ensure excellent fairness. Simulation results demonstrate that EFQ not only provides higher throughput, but also maintains superior fairness, than existing schemes.

Split-channel pipelined packet scheduling for wireless networks

To reduce medium access control (MAC) overhead and improve channel utilization, there has been extensive research on dynamically adjusting the channel access behavior of a contending station based on channel feedback information. This paper explores an alternative approach, named pipelined packet scheduling, to reduce the MAC overhead. MAC overheads can be divided into bandwidth-dependent and bandwidth-independent components and these overheads can both be reduced by using split-channel pipelining mechanisms, as demonstrated in this paper. In the past, pipelining mechanisms have not been well studied. This paper introduces two total pipelining schemes that attempt to fully pipeline contention resolution with data transmission. Further, the paper identifies shortcomings of total pipelining in the wireless environment and proposes a partial pipelining approach to overcome these shortcomings. Simulation results show that substantial performance improvement in channel utilization, average packet access delay, and access energy cost can be achieved with a properly designed scheme.

Cross-layer optimization of wireless networks using nonlinear column generation

We consider the problem of finding the jointly optimal end-to-end communication rates, routing, power allocation and transmission scheduling for wireless networks. In particular, we focus on finding the resource allocation that achieves fair end-to-end communication rates. Using realistic models of several rate and power adaption schemes, we show how this cross-layer optimization problem can be formulated as a nonlinear mathematical program. We develop a specialized solution method, based on a nonlinear column generation technique, and prove that it converges to the globally optimal solution. We present computational results from a large set of networks and discuss the insight that can be gained about the influence of power control, spatial reuse, routing strategies and variable transmission rates on network performance.

Token bank fair queuing: a new scheduling algorithm for wireless multimedia services

AbstractThe token bank fair queuing algorithm (TBFQ) is a novel scheduling algorithm that is suitable for wireless multimedia services. The bandwidth allocation mechanism integrates the leaky bucket structure with priority handling to address the problem of providing quality‐of‐service (QoS) guarantees to heterogeneous applications in the next generation packet‐switched wireless networks. Scheduling algorithms are often tightly integrated with the wireless medium access control (MAC) protocol. However, when heterogeneous wireless systems need to be integrated and interoperate with each other, it is desirable from the QoS provisioning standpoint to decouple scheduling algorithm from the MAC protocol. In this paper we propose a framework of seamless QoS provisioning and the application of TBFQ for uplink and downlink scheduling in wireless networks. We study its performance under a generic medium access framework that enables the algorithm to be generalized to provide QoS guarantees under various medium access schemes. We give a brief analysis of the algorithm and compare its performance with common scheduling algorithms through simulation. Our results demonstrate that TBFQ significantly increases wireless channel utilization while maintaining the same QoS, unlike many fair queuing algorithms, TBFQ does not require time‐stamping information of each packet arrival—an impractical feature in an already resource scarce environment. This makes TBFQ suitable for wireless multimedia communication. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Traffic aided opportunistic scheduling for wireless networks: algorithms and performance bounds

In multiuser wireless networks, opportunistic scheduling can improve the system throughput and thus reduce the total completion time. In this paper, we explore the possibility of reducing the completion time further by incorporating traffic information into opportunistic scheduling. More specifically, we first establish convexity properties for opportunistic scheduling with file size information. Then, we develop new traffic aided opportunistic scheduling (TAOS) schemes by making use of file size information and channel variation in a unified manner. We also derive lower bounds and upper bounds on the total completion time, which serve as benchmarks for examining the performance of the TAOS schemes. Our results show that the proposed TAOS schemes can yield significant reduction in the total completion time. The impact of fading, file size distributions, and random arrivals and departures, on the system performance, is also investigated. In particular, in the presence of user dynamics, the proposed TAOS schemes perform well when the arrival rate is reasonably high.

Performance of Proactive Earliest Due Date Packet Scheduling in Wireless Networks

With the convergence of multimedia applications and wireless communications, there is a need to support real-time traffic in wireless networks. In general, real-time packets must be delivered before a certain delay upper bound. In the literature, feasible earliest due date (FEDD) is one of the scheduling algorithms proposed to provide packet delay upper bound guarantees over a time-varying wireless channel. However, FEDD is reactive with respect to changes in the wireless channel. In view of this, we propose a novel deadline-based scheduling algorithm called proactive earliest due date (PEDD), which dynamically adjusts a packet's deadline in anticipation of an upcoming change in the channel condition. Similar to FEDD, PEDD is idealistic, as they both assume the availability of the exact channel knowledge. This is not implementable and, thus, this paper further proposes a realistic version of PEDD, called R-PEDD. R-PEDD uses a probing mechanism to acquire the channel knowledge, which in turn is used for the packet deadline adjustment. Since probe packets consume bandwidth, a modified version of R-PEDD, called R-PEDD+ is proposed to derive the required channel information from recent packet transmissions. We have performed extensive simulations using OPNET to evaluate the performance of these proposed algorithms. In short, PEDD always outperforms a couple of existing algorithms in the literature. R-PEDD and R-PEDD+ are both capable of approximating the performance of the idealistic PEDD in a realistic wireless channel. However, their performance deteriorates with more rapid changes in the channel condition.