NeTS-WN: Collaborative Research: Channel-Aware Distributed Scheduling for Optimal Throughput and Latency: A Unified PHY/MAC Approach

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The design of wireless ad-hoc networks faces a number of unique challenges in wireless communications including 1) co-channel interference among active links in a neighborhood, and 2) time-varying channel conditions over fading channels. Experimental data reveals that, in many realistic scenarios, fading effects can often adversely affect the MAC layer, and the coupling between the timescales of fading and MAC calls for a unified PHY/MAC design. Due to the distributed nature of ad hoc communications, little work has been done to develop channel-aware, distributed scheduling for throughput maximization. There are virtually no systematic studies on channel-aware scheduling for real-time traffic under latency constraints. A principal goal of this project is to fill this void and build a theoretic foundation for channel-aware, distributed scheduling in wireless ad-hoc networks, for both elastic traffic and inelastic traffic. With the goal of developing a framework for unified PHY/MAC optimization, the proposed research consists of three thrusts. The first two thrusts investigate distributed opportunistic scheduling for elastic traffic and focus on throughput maximization from network-centric and user-centric perspectives, respectively. The third thrust focuses on channel-aware scheduling for network models under explicit delay constraints, for real-time traffic. The proposed research draws on a combination of fundamental tools in scheduling, stochastic optimization, game theory, and control theory. This project will open a new avenue for exploring channel-aware distributed scheduling for ad-hoc communications.The PIs expect that the proposed work will culminate in the formulation of both new fundamental theories and advanced design methodologies for wireless ad hoc networks, and will have a significant impact on many wireless applications including wireless LANs and wireless mesh networks. In addition to the technical impacts, the broader impacts of the proposed research also include educational elements.