Radio resource management games in wireless networks: an approach to bandwidth allocation and admission control for polling service in IEEE 802.16 [Radio Resource Management and Protocol Engineering for IEEE 802.16]

Game theory is a mathematical tool developed to understand competitive situations in which rational decision makers interact to achieve their objectives. Game theory techniques have recently been applied to various engineering design problems in which the action of one component impacts (and perhaps conflicts with) that of any other component. In particular, game theory techniques have been successfully used for protocol design and optimization (e.g., radio resource management, power control) in wireless networks. In this article we present an overview of different game theory formulations. Then a survey on the game-theory-based resource management and admission control schemes in different wireless networks is presented, and several open research issues are outlined. To this end, we propose an adaptive bandwidth allocation and admission control scheme for polling service in an IEEE 802.16-based wireless metropolitan area network. A noncooperative game is formulated, and the solution of this game is determined by the Nash equilibrium for the amount of bandwidth offered to a new connection. The admission control policy ensures QoS for all connections in the system     

TCP-aware bidirectional bandwidth allocation in IEEE 802.16 networks

In this paper, we propose a bidirectional bandwidth-allocation mechanism to improve TCP performance in the IEEE 802.16 broadband wireless access networks. By coupling the bandwidth allocation for uplink and downlink connections, the proposed mechanism increases the throughput of the downlink TCP flow and it enhances the efficiency of uplink bandwidth allocation for the TCP acknowledgment (ACK). According to the IEEE 802.16 standard, when serving a downlink TCP flow, the transmission of the uplink ACK, which is performed over a separate unidirectional connection, incurs additional bandwidth-request/allocation delay. Thus, it increases the round trip time of the downlink TCP flow and results in the decrease of throughput accordingly. First, we derive an analytical model to investigate the effect of the uplink bandwidth-request/allocation delay on the downlink TCP throughput. Second, we propose a simple, yet effective, bidirectional bandwidth-allocation scheme that combines proactive bandwidth allocation with piggyback bandwidth request. The proposed scheme reduces unnecessary bandwidth-request delay and the relevant signaling overhead due to proactive allocation; meanwhile, it maintains high efficiency of uplink bandwidth usage by using piggyback request. Moreover, our proposed scheme is quite simple and practical; it can be simply implemented in the base station without requiring any modification in the subscriber stations or resorting to any cross-layer signaling mechanisms. The simulation results ascertain that the proposed approach significantly increases the downlink TCP throughput and the uplink bandwidth efficiency.     

A bandwidth request reiteration mechanism for IEEE 802.16 wireless networks

The IEEE 802.16 is a leading technology for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA), where a Base Station (BS) provides a set of Subscriber Stations (SSs) with first-mile network access. Each SS has multiple connections directed to the BS, which are assigned bandwidth on a demand basis. Specifically, the BS allocates part of the channel as request slots, which are accessed by best-effort connections in a random access manner to transmit bandwidth requests. Although bandwidth requests sent by different SSs may collide the standard does not specify an explicit acknowledgment mechanism. This, and the bandwidth being assigned by the BS to each SS as a whole, may lead to critical inconsistencies between the perception of the SSs’ requirements at the BS and the actual SSs’ requirements, which in turn may entail SS service disruption. While the standard suggests that an SS should regularly update the BS about the backlog of its connections, the algorithm to do so is left unspecified. In this paper we propose a simple, yet effective, mechanism to be employed by the SSs, called Bandwidth Request Reiteration (BR²), which prevents deadlock from occurring. Using detailed packet-level simulation, we compare BR² to an alternative approach based on timeout, and show that BR² achieves better performance, in terms of the average transfer delay, while it does not incur a significant additional overhead, in terms of MAC signaling.     

Optimized bandwidth allocation in broadband wireless access networks

Towards satisfying the requirements of International Mobile Telecommunications–Advanced, both the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) introduced revolutionary wireless technologies, exploiting advanced technologies and architectures. Both IEEE's 802.16 (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)) and 3GPP's Long Term Evolution have been introduced to accommodate the increasing demand for mobile services and applications. To realize the true potential of these technologies, however, opportunistic frameworks for radio resource management must be designed to exploit the adaptive nature of mobile traffic. The utility optimized quality‐of‐service (QoS) framework proposed in this paper for the mobile WiMAX networks achieves this objective. To maintain support for QoS guarantees, the framework capitalizes on the adaptive nature of WiMAX traffic by individually linking connections with a utility function designed to both uphold the end users’ perceived performance and determine bandwidth allocations by a search tree maximization algorithm. In doing so, bandwidth utilization is maximized for all active connections, and blocking and dropping probabilities for new and handover calls, respectively, are minimized. The framework is evaluated through an extensive simulation model and is shown to outperform state‐of‐the‐art solutions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Convergence of ethernet PON and IEEE 802.16 broadband access networks and its QoS-aware dynamic bandwidth allocation scheme

IEEE 802.16 and Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) are two promising broadband access technologies for high-capacity wireless access networks and wired access networks, respectively. They each can be deployed to facilitate connection between the end users and the Internet but each of them suffers from some drawbacks if operating separately. To combine the bandwidth advantage of optical networks with the mobility feature of wireless communications, we propose a convergence of EPON and 802.16 networks in this paper. First, this paper starts with presenting the converged network architecture and especially the concept of virtual ONU-BS (VOB). Then, it identifies some unique research issues in this converged network. Second, the paper investigates a dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) scheme and its closely associated research issues. This DBA scheme takes into consideration the specific features of the converged network to enable a smooth data transmission across optical and wireless networks, and an end-toend differentiated service to user traffics of diverse QoS (Quality of Service) requirements. This QoS-aware DBA scheme supports bandwidth fairness at the VOB level and class-of-service fairness at the 802.16 subscriber station level. The simulation results show that the proposed DBA scheme operates effectively and efficiently in terms of network throughput, average/maximum delay, resource utilization, service differentiation, etc.     

Joint scheduling and resource allocation in uplink OFDM systems for broadband wireless access networks

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) with dynamic scheduling and resource allocation is a key component of most emerging broadband wireless access networks such as WiMAX and LTE (Long Term Evolution) for 3GPP. However, scheduling and resource allocation in an OFDM system is complicated, especially in the uplink due to two reasons: (i) the discrete nature of subchannel assignments, and (ii) the heterogeneity of the users' subchannel conditions, individual resource constraints and application requirements. We approach this problem using a gradient-based scheduling framework. Physical layer resources (bandwidth and power) are allocated to maximize the projection onto the gradient of a total system utility function which models application-layer Quality of Service (QoS). This is formulated as a convex optimization problem and solved using a dual decomposition approach. This optimal solution has prohibitively high computational complexity but reveals guiding principles that we use to generate lower complexity sub-optimal algorithms. We analyze the complexity and compare the performance of these algorithms via extensive simulations.     

The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on broadband wireless

This article describes the new initiative on broadband wireless access (BWA) that has formed Working Group 802.16 in the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee. The aim is to provide the reader with highlights of the IEEE 802 activities in order to enable better dissemination of these standards into marketable products as well as seek new ideas to be brought into the IEEE 802 arena. BWA systems, utilizing base stations to provide broadband data to business or homes, offer an alternative to wired “last-mile” access links using fiber, cable, or telephone lines. As illustrated, the base stations may be either terrestrial, in orbit, or mounted on airplanes or dirigibles in the stratosphere. The customer terminals can carry two-way communications for Internet access, digital video, telephony, and other services     

基于IEEE 802.16a的宽带无线接入系统

IEEE802.16a是固定宽带无线接入系统最新国际标准,基于该标准的宽带无线接入系统在无线传输方面具有调制方式动态选择的特点,可支持多业务;介绍的宽带无线接入系统具备IEEE802.16a建议的物理层、MAC子层、业务汇聚子层、及加密子层等实体,同时描述了一个实际的宽带无线接入系统必须具备的业务接口处理及系统管理等实体,并给出了各实体间的关系。     

Optimized bandwidth allocation with fairness and service differentiation in multimedia wireless networks

In this article we present an optimal Markov Decision‐based Call Admission Control (MD‐CAC) policy for the multimedia services that characterize the next generation of wireless cellular networks. A Markov decision process (MDP) is used to represent the CAC policy. The MD‐CAC is formulated as a linear programming problem with the objectives of maximizing the system utilization while ensuring class differentiation and providing quantitative fairness guarantees among different classes of users. Through simulation, we show that the MD‐CAC policy potentially achieves the optimal decisions. Hence our proposed MD‐CAC policy satisfies its design goals in terms of call‐class‐differentiation, fairness and system utilization. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adaptive packet scheduling for the uplink traffic in IEEE 802.16e networks

IEEE 802.16e is a telecommunication standard technology designed to support a wide variety of multimedia applications. It defines five service classes, each one with its respective QoS requirements, but does not define the scheduling algorithm for these service classes. In this paper, an adaptive packet scheduling algorithm for the uplink traffic in IEEE 802.16e networks is proposed. This algorithm is designed to be completely dynamic, mainly in networks that use various modulation and coding schemes (MCSs). The algorithm is applied directly to the bandwidth request queues in the base station (BS) and aims at supporting the real‐time and non‐real‐time applications. Using a cross‐layer approach and the states of the bandwidth request queues in the BS, a new deadlines based scheme was defined, aiming at limiting the maximum delay to the real‐time applications. Moreover, this algorithm interacts with the polling management mechanisms of the BS and controls the periodicity of sending unicast polling to the real‐time and non‐real‐time service connections, in accordance with the QoS requirements of the applications. The proposed algorithm was evaluated by means of modeling and simulation in environments where various MCSs were used and also in environments where only one type of modulation was used. The simulations showed satisfactory results in both environments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种基于IEEE802.16无线MESH网络集中调度机制的时隙分配方法

在基于IEEE 802.16的无线Mesht网络中,时隙分配算法对网络性能有重要影响.针对现有时隙分配算法只研究上行链路且时隙分配的结果导致中继节点在转发数据时频繁在相邻时隙间进行收发切换的问题,提出了一种上下行链路通用的时隙分配方法,对于上行链路,跳数较小节点的数据优先传输,而对于下行链路,跳数较大节点的数据优先传输,在传输路径上采用逐跳传输的策略.仿真结果证明了该算法的有效性.     

OFDMA上行无线网络中资源块和功率的分配

正交频分复用多址接入(OFDMA)技术已经广泛应用于宽带无线网络,比如IEEE 802.16(WiMAX)和3GPP长期演进技术(LTE)。现有的提高系统吞吐量的主要方法是通过增加移动台的发射功率来提高移动台的传输速率。本文研究了在OFDMA无线网络上行传输中的资源块和功率联合分配问题。目标是满足基本传输要求前提下减少移动台的功率损耗。由于优化方程是NP-hard模型,所以本文利用注水技术的优势提出了一个启发式算法。仿真结果表明启发式算法性能接近最优解,特别是网络处于非饱和条件下。     

Quality of service support in IEEE 802.16 networks

During the last few years, users ail over the world have become more and more accustomed to the availability of broadband access. This has boosted the use of a wide variety both of established and recent multimedia applications. However, there are cases where it is too expensive for network providers to serve a community of users. This is typically the case in rural and suburban areas, where there is slow deployment (or no deployment at all) of traditional wired technologies for broadband access (e.g., cable modems, xDSL). In those cases, the most promising opportunity rests with broadband wireless access technologies, such as the IEEE 802.16, also known as WiMAX. One of the features of the MAC layer of 802.16 is that it is designed to differentiate service among traffic categories with different multimedia requirements. This article focuses on mechanisms that are available in an 802.16 system to support quality of service (QoS) and whose effectiveness is evaluated through simulation.     

Contention resolution with EIED backoff for bandwidth request in IEEE 802.16 networks

In this letter, we suggest contention resolution with exponential increase and exponential decrease (EIED) backoff for bandwidth request in worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) networks. In EIED, setting of backoff factor to overcome collision due to contention is very challenging and hence we suggest a method to compute backoff factor with average contention window. Further, to reduce access delay, we estimate the response time based on probability of failure and average contention window. Simulations validate the proposed EIED backoff in terms of contention efficiency, capacity and access delay. The contention efficiency and capacity is improved by 47.50% (for q value of 0.25) and 28.57% (for 25 numbers of transmission opportunity), respectively, when bandwidth request is made with the proposed EIED backoff mechanism.     

A bandwidth allocation and energy-optimal transmission rate scheduling scheme in multi-services wireless networks

The energy-saving of mobile devices during their application offloading process has always been the research hotspot in the field of mobile cloud computing (MCC). In this paper, we focus on the scenario where multiple mobile devices with MCC and non-MCC services coexist. A bandwidth allocation and the corresponding transmission rate scheduling schemes are proposed with the objectives of simultaneously maximizing the overall system throughput and minimizing the energy consumption of individual mobile device with MCC service. To allocate the bandwidth to all mobile devices, two different algorithms are proposed, i.e., 0–1 integer programming algorithm and Lagrange dual algorithm. The transmission rate scheduling scheme for mobile device with MCC service is presented based on reverse order iteration method. The numerical results suggest that energy consumed by individual mobile device with MCC service can be remarkably saved while the overall system throughput can also be maximized. Moreover, the results show that 0–1 integer programming algorithm can get greater system throughput but has higher computational complexity, which means the algorithm is more suitable for small-scale systems, whereas Lagrange dual algorithm can achieve a good balance between the performance and computational complexity.     

Queue-aware scheduling in full-duplex wireless networks

Wireless Networks - Contemporary progress in telecommunication technologies have made full-duplex wireless communications feasible. The latter promise to double the capacity of wireless networks by...     

Radio resource allocation in fixed broadband wireless networks

We consider use of fixed broadband wireless networks to provide packet services for telecommuting and Internet access. Each cell is divided into multiple sectors, each of them served by a sector antenna colocated with the base station (BS), and user terminals also use directional antennas mounted on the rooftops of homes or small offices and pointed to their respective BS antennas. To support a target data rate of 10 Mb/s, a bandwidth of several MHz is required. Since radio spectrum is expensive, the bandwidth needs to be reused very aggressively. Thus, efficient strategies for frequency reuse and managing cochannel interference are critically important. We propose several algorithms for dynamic radio-resource allocation in the fixed wireless networks. In particular, a method to be referred to as the staggered resource allocation (SRA) method uses a distributed scheduling algorithm to avoid major sources of interference while allowing concurrent packet transmission and meeting signal-to-interference objectives. The performance of the method is studied by analytic approximations and detailed simulation. Our results show that the combination of directional antennas plus the SRA method is highly effective in controlling cochannel interference. For reasonable system parameters, the SRA method delivers a throughput in excess of 30% per sector while permitting a given frequency band to be reused in every sector of every cell. It also provides satisfactory probability of successful packet transmission. In addition, a simple control mechanism can be applied in the method to improve performance for harsh radio environments     

A queuing model for distributed scheduling in IEEE 802.16 wireless mesh networks

The IEEE 802.16 standard for wireless broadband networks includes the mesh mode in its specifications, where network nodes interact to deliver packets from a client to a remote destination through intermediate nodes. This paper presents a study of the capacity of IEEE 802.16 wireless networks in mesh mode by using M/G/1/L queuing model that represents each network node by incorporating the features of the standard in order to calculate the average delay and throughput in the node. An iterative method integrates the calculation results at each node, obtaining the end‐to‐end delay from any node of the mesh to the Base Station. Because of multiple hops, a node far from the Base Station may have its flows damaged. To minimize this problem, we propose a criterion for a fair distribution of resources. We show the numerical results of the model which indicate a good fit when compared with simulation results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of adaptive bandwidth allocation in wireless networks with multilevel degradable quality of service

A wireless/mobile network supporting multilevel quality of service (QoS) is considered. In such a network, users or applications can tolerate a certain degree of QoS degradation. Bandwidth allocation to users can, therefore, be adjusted dynamically according to the underlying network condition so as to increase bandwidth utilization and service provider's revenue. However, arbitrary QoS degradation may be unsatisfactory or unacceptable to the users, hence resulting in their subsequent defection. Instead of only focusing on bandwidth utilization or blocking/dropping probability, two new user-perceived QoS metrics, degradation ratio and upgrade/degrade frequency, are proposed. A Markov model is then provided to derive these QoS metrics. Using this model, we evaluate the effects of adaptive bandwidth allocation on user-perceived QoS and show the existence of trade offs between system performance and user-perceived QoS. We also show how to exploit adaptive bandwidth allocation to increase system utilization (for the system administrator) with controlled QoS degradation (for the users). By considering various mobility patterns, the simulation results are shown to match our analytical results, demonstrating the applicability of our analytical model to more general cases.     

Scheduler for IEEE 802.16 networks

The IEEE 802.16 standard was designed to support real-time and bandwidth demanding applications with quality of service (QoS). Although the standard defines a QoS signaling framework and five service levels, scheduling disciplines for these service levels are unspecified. In this paper, we propose a scheduling scheme for the uplink traffic which is fully standard-compliant and can be easily implemented in the base station. Simulation results show that this scheme is able to meet the QoS requirements of the service flows.