Columbia University

Medium Access Control (MAC) and Scheduling

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Our efforts in the area of Medium Access Control (MAC) and scheduling are motivated by challenges introduced by the rapid evolution of wireless technologies and by the ongoing introduction of new applications. Our work includes both theoretical contributions aimed at furthering our understanding of the performance limits of wireless networks as well as practical aspects, in which we study and optimize the performance of emerging technologies.

Our ongoing efforts focus on:

  • A cellular measurement campaign and the design of predictive scheduling algorithms for mobile users in cellular networks.
  • Design and experimental evaluation of efficient multicast schemes for large crowds.
  • Design scheduling algorithms for Cooperative Multipoint (CoMP) systems.
  • Design of resource allocation algorithms for full duplex transceivers.

An important aspect of our research is the design of algorithms and architectures that take into account cross layer considerations. In particular, an important cross layer problem is the design of MAC protocols for emerging physical layer technologies. For example, we considered the implications of the multipacket reception capability which has the potential to improve the performance of the MAC layer. We showed that in networks with such a capability, the negative implications of reusing the legacy protocols include not only unfairness but also a significant throughput reduction. Moreover, in collaboration with Clariton Networks we analyzed a novel architecture and MAC modifications for a system that provides in-building cellular and Wi-Fi communication by utilizing the Community Antenna Television (CATV) infrastructure. Recently, similar systems became popular and are now known as a Distributed Antenna Systems.

Finally, our early work in the area of Bluetooth networks included the analysis of bandwidth allocation algorithms and of scheduling algorithms. For example, we studied the performance of the Bluetooth MAC protocol and obtained analytical results regarding the performance of intra-piconet scheduling algorithms by applying techniques from queueing analysis of polling systems.

Publications

[1]
A. Minakhmetov, C. Gutterman, T. Chen, J. Yu, C. Ware, L. Iannone, D. Kilper, and G. Zussman, “Experiments on cloud-RAN wireless handover using optical switching in a dense urban testbed,” in Proc. OSA OFC’20, Th2A.25, 2020.

[download]

[1]
C. Gutterman, E. Grinshpun, S. Sharma, and G. Zussman, “RAN resource usage prediction for a 5G slice broker,” in Proc. ACM MOBIHOC’19, 2019.

[download] [presentation]

[1]
A. Sridharan, V. Aggarwal, R. Jana, H. Karloff, N. K. Shankaranarayanan, V. Vaishampayan, R. Margolies, and G. Zussman, “Method, computer-readable storage device, and apparatus for allocating timeslots on channels in a wireless network, US Patent US9,648,612B2.” May-2017.

[download]

[1]
J. Marasevic, C. Stein, and G. Zussman, “A fast distributed algorithm for α-Fair packing problems,” in Proc. ICALP’16, 2016.

[download] [presentation]

[1]
R. Margolies, A. Sridharan, V. Aggarwal, R. Jana, N. K. Shankaranarayanan, V. Vaishampayan, and G. Zussman, “Exploiting mobility in proportional fair cellular scheduling: Measurements and algorithms,” IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 355–367, Jan. 2016.

[download] [presentation]

[1]
G. Grebla, B. Birand, P. van de Ven, and G. Zussman, “Joint transmission in cellular networks with CoMP - Stability and scheduling algorithms,” Performance Evaluation, Special Issue from IFIP Performance 2015, vol. 91, pp. 38–55, Sep. 2015.

[download] [presentation]

[1]
R. Margolies, “Resource allocation for the Internet of Everything: from energy harvesting tags to cellular networks,” Ph.D. Thesis, Columbia University, 2015.

[link]

[1]
R. Margolies, A. Sridharan, V. Aggarwal, R. Jana, N. K. Shankaranarayanan, V. Vaishampayan, and G. Zussman, “Exploiting mobility in proportional fair cellular scheduling: Measurements and algorithms,” in Proc. IEEE INFOCOM’14, 2014.

[download] [presentation]

[1]
J. Marasevic, J. Janak, H. Schulzrinne, and G. Zussman, “WiMAX in the classroom: Designing a cellular networking hands-on lab,” in Proc. 2nd GENI Research and Educational Experiment Workshop (GREE2013), 2013.

[download] [presentation] Best Educational Paper Award

[1]
G. D. Celik, G. Zussman, W. F. Khan, and E. Modiano, “MAC for networks with multipacket reception capability and spatially distributed nodes,” IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 226–240, Feb. 2010.

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[1]
G. D. Celik, G. Zussman, W. F. Khan, and E. Modiano, “MAC for networks with multipacket reception capability and spatially distributed nodes,” in Proc. IEEE INFOCOM’08, 2008.

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[1]
H. Wymeersch, G. Zussman, and M. Z. Win, “SNR analysis of multi-rate IR-UWB over frequency-selective channels,” in Proc. IEEE International Conference on Ultra-Wideband (ICUWB’07), 2007.

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[1]
G. Zussman, A. Segall, and U. Yechiali, “On the analysis of the bluetooth time division duplex mechanism,” IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, vol. 6, no. 6, pp. 2149–2161, Jun. 2007.

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[1]
H. Wymeersch, G. Zussman, and M. Z. Win, “SNR analysis for multi-rate UWB-IR,” IEEE Communications Letters, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 49–51, Jan. 2007.

[download]

[1]
R. Bhatia, A. Segall, and G. Zussman, “Analysis of bandwidth allocation algorithms for wireless personal area networks,” ACM/Springer Wireless Networks (WINET), Special Issue of selected papers from WiOpt’04, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 589–603, Oct. 2006.

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[1]
E. Biton, D. Sade, D. Shklarsky, M. Zussman, and G. Zussman, “Challenge: CeTV and Ca-Fi - Cellular and Wi-Fi over CATV,” in Proc. ACM MOBICOM’05, 2005.

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[1]
G. Zussman, A. Segall, and U. Yechiali, “Bluetooth time division duplex - Analysis as a polling system,” in Proc. IEEE SECON’04, 2004.

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[1]
L. Har-Sai, R. Kofman, A. Segall, and G. Zussman, “Load-adaptive inter-piconet scheduling in small-scale Bluetooth scatternets,” IEEE Communications, vol. 42, no. 7, pp. 136–142, Jul. 2004.

[download] Fast-tracked from OPNETWORK 2002

[1]
R. Bhatia, A. Segall, and G. Zussman, “Analysis of bandwidth allocation algorithms for Bluetooth wireless personal area networks,” in Proc. WiOpt’04, 2004.

[download]

[1]
G. Zussman and A. Segall, “Capacity assignment in Bluetooth scatternets – Optimal and heuristic algorithms,” ACM/Kluwer Mobile Networks and Applications (MONET), Special Issue on Advances in Research of Wireless Personal Area Networking and Bluetooth Enabled Networks, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 49–61, Feb. 2004.

[download]

[1]
G. Zussman, U. Yechiali, and A. Segall, “Exact probabilistic analysis of the limited scheduling algorithm for symmetrical bluetooth piconets,” in Proc. IFIP TC6 Personal Wireless Communications (PWC’03), 2003, vol. LNCS 2775, Springer, pp. 276–290.

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[1]
L. Har-Shai, R. Kofman, G. Zussman, and A. Segall, “Inter-piconet scheduling in Bluetooth scatternets,” in Proc. OPNETWORK 2002, 2002.

[download] [Google Scholar] IEEE Communications Magazine Best Paper Award, Fast-tracked to IEEE Communications

[1]
G. Zussman and A. Segall, “Capacity assignment in Bluetooth scatternets - Analysis and algorithms,” in Proc. IFIP TC6 Networking, 2002, vol. LNCS 2345, Springer-Verlag, pp. 411–422.

[download] [Google Scholar] Best Student Paper Award