Priority-Based Scheduling Algorithm for Downlink Traffics in IEEE 802.16 Networks

Abstract—The IEEE 802.16 standard is proposed to provide a wide-range broadband wireless service, but it leaves the implementation of the wireless resource scheduler as an open issue. We thus propose a priority-based scheduling algorithm to arrange resources for downlink traffics in an IEEE 802.16 broadband wireless network. The idea is to differentiate the mobile subscriber stations with good channel conditions from those with bad channel conditions, and to differentiate the urgent real-time traffics from the non-real-time ones. Thus, the network throughput can be improved while the delays of real-time traffics can be alleviated. In addition, our design also keeps fairness in mind, so non-real-time traffics will not be starved. Simulation results show that our scheduling algorithm can increase the network throughput, maintain the long-term fairness, and keep packet dropping ratios of real-time traffics low, as compared with existing results. Index Terms—IEEE 802.16, fair scheduling, quality of service (QoS), resource management, WiMAX. I