The Power of Non-Uniform Wireless Power

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of oblivious power strategies in wireless networks under the SINR model, providing optimal bounds and improved algorithms for various capacity and scheduling problems.

Contribution

It establishes optimal bounds for inductive independence and introduces algorithms that achieve near-best capacity using oblivious power assignments.

Findings

Optimal bounds for inductive independence in wireless interference

Algorithms achieving near-optimal capacity with oblivious power

Improved approximation algorithms for scheduling and power control

Abstract

We study a fundamental measure for wireless interference in the SINR model known as (weighted) inductive independence. This measure characterizes the effectiveness of using oblivious power --- when the power used by a transmitter only depends on the distance to the receiver --- as a mechanism for improving wireless capacity. We prove optimal bounds for inductive independence, implying a number of algorithmic applications. An algorithm is provided that achieves --- due to existing lower bounds --- capacity that is asymptotically best possible using oblivious power assignments. Improved approximation algorithms are provided for a number of problems for oblivious power and for power control, including distributed scheduling, connectivity, secondary spectrum auctions, and dynamic packet scheduling.