Performance Optimization of Interference-Limited Multihop Networks

The performance of a multihop wireless network is typically affected by the interference caused by transmissions in the same network. In a statistical fading environment, the interference effects become harder to predict. Information sources in a multihop wireless network can improve throughput and delay performance of data streams by implementing interference-aware packet injection mechanisms. Forcing packets to wait at the head of queues and coordinating packet injections among different sources enable effective control of copacket interference. In this paper, throughput and delay performance in interference-limited multihop networks is analyzed. Using nonlinear probabilistic hopping models, waiting times which jointly optimize throughput and delay performances are derived. Optimal coordinated injection strategies are also investigated as functions of the number of information sources and their separations. The resulting analysis demonstrates the interaction of performance constraints and achievable capacity in a wireless multihop network.