13,298 research outputs found
A Distributed Algorithm for Fair and Efficient User-Network Association in Multi-Technology Wireless Networks
Recent mobile equipment (as well as the norm IEEE 802.21) now offers the
possibility for users to switch from one technology to another (vertical
handover). This allows flexibility in resource assignments and, consequently,
increases the potential throughput allocated to each user. In this paper, we
design a fully distributed algorithm based on trial and error mechanisms that
exploits the benefits of vertical handover by finding fair and efficient
assignment schemes. On the one hand, mobiles gradually update the fraction of
data packets they send to each network based on the rewards they receive from
the stations. On the other hand, network stations send rewards to each mobile
that represent the impact each mobile has on the cell throughput. This reward
function is closely related to the concept of marginal cost in the pricing
literature. Both the station and the mobile algorithms are simple enough to be
implemented in current standard equipment. Based on tools from evolutionary
games, potential games and replicator dynamics, we analytically show the
convergence of the algorithm to solutions that are efficient and fair in terms
of throughput. Moreover, we show that after convergence, each user is connected
to a single network cell which avoids costly repeated vertical handovers.
Several simple heuristics based on this algorithm are proposed to achieve fast
convergence. Indeed, for implementation purposes, the number of iterations
should remain in the order of a few tens. We also compare, for different loads,
the quality of their solutions
Recommended from our members
Multimedia delivery in the future internet
The term “Networked Media” implies that all kinds of media including text, image, 3D graphics, audio
and video are produced, distributed, shared, managed and consumed on-line through various networks,
like the Internet, Fiber, WiFi, WiMAX, GPRS, 3G and so on, in a convergent manner [1]. This white
paper is the contribution of the Media Delivery Platform (MDP) cluster and aims to cover the Networked
challenges of the Networked Media in the transition to the Future of the Internet.
Internet has evolved and changed the way we work and live. End users of the Internet have been confronted
with a bewildering range of media, services and applications and of technological innovations concerning
media formats, wireless networks, terminal types and capabilities. And there is little evidence that the pace
of this innovation is slowing. Today, over one billion of users access the Internet on regular basis, more
than 100 million users have downloaded at least one (multi)media file and over 47 millions of them do so
regularly, searching in more than 160 Exabytes1 of content. In the near future these numbers are expected
to exponentially rise. It is expected that the Internet content will be increased by at least a factor of 6, rising
to more than 990 Exabytes before 2012, fuelled mainly by the users themselves. Moreover, it is envisaged
that in a near- to mid-term future, the Internet will provide the means to share and distribute (new)
multimedia content and services with superior quality and striking flexibility, in a trusted and personalized
way, improving citizens’ quality of life, working conditions, edutainment and safety.
In this evolving environment, new transport protocols, new multimedia encoding schemes, cross-layer inthe
network adaptation, machine-to-machine communication (including RFIDs), rich 3D content as well as
community networks and the use of peer-to-peer (P2P) overlays are expected to generate new models of
interaction and cooperation, and be able to support enhanced perceived quality-of-experience (PQoE) and
innovative applications “on the move”, like virtual collaboration environments, personalised services/
media, virtual sport groups, on-line gaming, edutainment. In this context, the interaction with content
combined with interactive/multimedia search capabilities across distributed repositories, opportunistic P2P
networks and the dynamic adaptation to the characteristics of diverse mobile terminals are expected to
contribute towards such a vision.
Based on work that has taken place in a number of EC co-funded projects, in Framework Program 6 (FP6)
and Framework Program 7 (FP7), a group of experts and technology visionaries have voluntarily
contributed in this white paper aiming to describe the status, the state-of-the art, the challenges and the way
ahead in the area of Content Aware media delivery platforms
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