CIF: Small: Cost and Value of Information for Resource Allocation in Wireless Networks

Ohio State University Research Foundation -Do Not Use, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

Resource allocation in wireless networks concerns the decisions of what rate each node injects data into the network, where and when it sends out data packets with potentially different destinations, and what level of transmit power it uses at every point in time, based on the information available at the node on the system state. It is well-known that feedback of relevant ``network state information'' is of paramount importance to the efficient utilization of the scarce network resources. Therefore, in a realistic system, the cost and value of obtaining the necessary network state information is of crucial importance and demands a comprehensive study, which constitutes the broad objective of this research. The inclusion of these factors causes drastic changes to the widely-used design paradigms. To that end, the main objectives of this project are: to develop a well-founded theoretical framework for (1) establishing the value and cost of information obtained by distributed network state estimators; (2) building a joint estimation and resource allocation component for new generation wireless networks; and (3) designing distributed network controllers with asymmetric partial information. This study requires fundamental developments in wireless communications, estimation theory, information theory and optimization theory.