Distributed Throughput-optimal Scheduling in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a distributed scheduling algorithm for ad hoc wireless networks that optimizes throughput by selecting and updating schedules efficiently, using consensus and CSMA mechanisms, resulting in improved delay performance.

Contribution

It presents a novel distributed scheduling algorithm inspired by the simplex method, combining consensus and CSMA to enhance throughput and delay performance in wireless networks.

Findings

Achieves throughput optimality in a distributed manner.

Improves delay performance over previous algorithms.

Validated by simulation results.

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a distributed throughput-optimal ad hoc wireless network scheduling algorithm, which is motivated by the celebrated simplex algorithm for solving linear programming (LP) problems. The scheduler stores a sparse set of basic schedules, and chooses the max-weight basic schedule for transmission in each time slot. At the same time, the scheduler tries to update the set of basic schedules by searching for a new basic schedule in a throughput increasing direction. We show that both of the above procedures can be achieved in a distributed manner. Specifically, we propose an average consensus based link contending algorithm to implement the distributed max weight scheduling. Further, we show that the basic schedule update can be implemented using CSMA mechanisms, which is similar to the one proposed by Jiang et al. Compared to the optimal distributed scheduler in Jiang's paper, where schedules change in a random walk fashion, our algorithm has a better delay performance by achieving faster schedule transitions in the steady state. The performance of the algorithm is finally confirmed by simulation results.