Order optimal delay for opportunistic scheduling in multi-user wireless uplinks and downlinks

Abstract-- We consider a one-hop wireless network with independent time varying channels and N users, such as a multiuser uplink or downlink. We first show that general classes of scheduling algorithms that do not consider queue backlog necessarily incur average delay that grows at least linearly with N. We then construct a dynamic queue-length aware algorithm that stabilizes the system and achieves an average delay that is independent of N. This is the first analytical demonstration that O(1) delay is achievable in such a multi-user wireless setting. The delay bounds are achieved via a technique of queue grouping together with basic Lyapunov stability and statistical multiplexing concepts.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: TON
• Authors: Michael J. Neely
• Keywords: Average Delay, One-hop Wireless Network, Queue-length Aware Algorithm, TON 2008