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

无线自组织网络的设计面临着无线通信中的许多独特挑战，包括 1) 邻近活动链路之间的同信道干扰，以及 2) 衰落信道上的时变信道条件。实验数据表明，在许多实际场景中，衰落效应通常会对 MAC 层产生不利影响，衰落时间尺度和 MAC 之间的耦合需要统一的 PHY/MAC 设计。由于自组织通信的分布式特性，很少有工作来开发通道感知的分布式调度以实现吞吐量最大化。实际上还没有关于延迟约束下实时流量的通道感知调度的系统研究。该项目的主要目标是填补这一空白，并为无线自组织网络中弹性流量和非弹性流量的信道感知、分布式调度奠定理论基础。为了开发统一 PHY/MAC 优化框架的目标，所提出的研究包括三个重点。前两个主旨研究弹性流量的分布式机会调度，并分别从以网络为中心和以用户为中心的角度关注吞吐量最大化。第三个重点是在显式延迟约束下针对实时流量的网络模型的通道感知调度。所提出的研究结合了调度、随机优化、博弈论和控制理论等基本工具。该项目将为探索自组织通信的信道感知分布式调度开辟一条新途径。PI 预计，拟议的工作将最终形成无线自组织网络的新基础理论和先进设计方法，并将对包括无线 LAN 和无线网状网络在内的许多无线应用产生重大影响。除了技术影响之外，拟议研究的更广泛影响还包括教育因素。

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.