Efficient and robust protocols for distributed control and optimization of ubiquitous wireless networks

多跳无线网络，特别是那些需要低成本基础设施的网络，为各种关键民用和军事应用中的无线宽带接入提供了一种经济的解决方案。尽管在过去的几年中，有关无线网络协议工程的研究活动非常活跃，但它们成功的实际实现相当有限。因此，迫切需要更多的基础研究来指导这些网络的低复杂度和实际可实现的网络协议的设计。为此，本研究的主要目标是为系统建模、分析和协议工程建立统一的理论，从而为多跳无线网络开发实用的网络协议。具体来说，我们建议考虑在协议栈的所有层中设计通信方案和网络协议，使我们能够成功地实现这些物理无线系统。我们的目标是了解最大可实现吞吐量区域的性能限制，考虑到现实的物理层模型和先进的通信技术，而不是文献中大多数现有作品所考虑的简单对偶干扰模型。我们将开发适用于不同时间尺度的跨层控制协议。这些多层协议应该能够利用层之间的交互来增强网络性能，同时最小化层模块化的损失，同时它们可以很容易地以分布式方式实现。此外，它们在吞吐量、延迟和数据包丢失等几个关键性能指标方面应该是高效的，并且对不同形式的不确定性（例如，网络拓扑和通道状态信息）具有鲁棒性。最后，提出的研究将考虑异构无线接入技术以及无线设备的动态频谱接入能力，这是未来自适应无线系统的重要方面。该研究将有助于生产具有成本效益的无线技术，为先进的无线技术领域提供HQP，有助于促进我国的技术转让和经济发展。

Multihop wireless networks, especially those requiring low-cost infrastructure, provide an economical solution for wireless broadband access in various critical civilian and military applications. In spite of active research activities related to protocol engineering for these wireless networks in the past several years, their successful practical implementations are rather limited. Therefore, more fundamental research studies that can guide the design of low-complexity and practically-implementable network protocols for these networks are strongly needed. To this end, the main goal of this proposed research is to build a unified theory for system modeling, analysis and protocol engineering that leads to developing of practical network protocols for multihop wireless networks. Specifically, we propose to consider the design of communication schemes and network protocols in all layers of the protocol stack that enables us to successfully realize these physical wireless systems. We aim to understand the performance limits in terms of maximum achievable throughput region considering realistic physical layer models and advanced communication techniques beyond simplistic pair-wise interference models considered by most existing works in the literature. We will develop cross-layer control protocols that work appropriately over different time scales. These multi-layer protocols should be able to exploit the interactions among layers to enhance network performance with minimal loss of layering modularity while they can be easily implemented in a distributed fashion. In addition, they should be efficient with respect to several key performance metrics such as throughput, delay and packet loss and robust to different forms of uncertainties (e.g., in network topology and channel state information). Finally, the proposed research will consider heterogeneous radio access technologies as well as dynamic spectrum access capability of wireless devices, which are important aspects of a future adaptive wireless system. This proposed research will contribute to produce cost-effective wireless technologies and provide HQP in the advanced wireless technology sector, which helps boost the technology transfer and economic development for our country.