Link Scheduling Algorithms in Wireless Networks
Summary
Link scheduling constitutes a fundamental challenge in wireless communications, dictating which transmitter–receiver pairs may simultaneously access the medium without unacceptable interference. By selecting subsets of links in each time slot, scheduling algorithms strive to maximise throughput, minimise latency and preserve energy efficiency. Traditional approaches have employed graph‐based interference models, whereas contemporary work increasingly leverages the signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio (SINR) framework and accounts for stochastic phenomena such as Rayleigh fading. Problems of maximum link scheduling (activating the greatest number of links at once) and shortest link scheduling (serving each link in the fewest time slots) are typically NP‐hard and thus amenable only to approximation or heuristic schemes. Both centralised and distributed algorithms have been advanced, exploiting separation distances, local interference bounds and randomised contention to achieve provable guarantees and practical scalability. Applications span from dense Internet of Things deployments and 5G/6G systems to full-duplex relay networks, where careful scheduling underpins spectral efficiency and quality of service.
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Link Scheduling Algorithms in Wireless Networks publication trend
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Technical terms
Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR): A measure of link quality defined as the power of the intended signal divided by the sum of interference and noise powers.
Rayleigh fading: A statistical model for the variation of signal amplitude due to multipath propagation in non-line-of-sight environments.
Maximum Link Scheduling (MLS): The problem of selecting the largest set of links that can be activated simultaneously without violating SINR thresholds.
Shortest Link Scheduling (SLS): The task of assigning time slots so that every link is scheduled at least once in the minimum total number of slots.
Approximation algorithm: An algorithm that delivers solutions within a provable factor of the optimal value for computationally intractable problems.
NP-hard: A classification indicating that a problem is at least as hard as the hardest problems in NP, with no known polynomial-time solutions.
References
- Efficient Link Scheduling in Wireless Networks Under Rayleigh-Fading and Multiuser Interference. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications (2020).
- Efficient Link Scheduling Solutions for the Internet of Things Under Rayleigh Fading. IEEE Transactions on Networking (2021).
- Shortest link scheduling in wireless networks under the Rayleigh fading model. EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking (2021).
- On Spectrum-Efficient Routing in Interference-Limited Full-Duplex Multihop Wireless Networks. IEEE Access (2021).
- On the Complexity of Scheduling in Wireless Networks. EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking (2010).
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