Toward power-sensitive network architectures in wireless communications: concepts, issues, and design aspects

TLDR

Transmitter power control in wireless networks simultaneously reduces power consumption, extends battery life, mitigates interference, and supports QoS by adapting to node dynamics, while also enabling operations such as admission control, channel selection, and handoff. The paper investigates the design of power‑sensitive wireless network architectures that efficiently use power to meet QoS requirements and introduces general concepts applicable to wireless network design. The authors concentrate on the network layer, synthesizing key concepts into a framework for power‑sensitive network architectures. The study presents an initial framework for power‑sensitive network architectures aimed at next‑generation wireless networks.

Abstract

Transmitter power control can be used to concurrently achieve several key objectives in wireless networking, including minimizing power consumption and prolonging the battery life of mobile nodes, mitigating interference and increasing the network capacity, and maintaining the required link QoS by adapting to node movements, fluctuating interference, channel impairments, and so on. Moreover, power control can be used as a vehicle for implementing on-line several basic network operations, including admission control, channel selection and switching, and handoff control. We consider issues associated with the design of power-sensitive wireless network architectures, which utilize power efficiently in establishing user communication at required QoS levels. Our focus is mainly on the network layer and less on the physical one. Besides reviewing some of the developments in power control, we also formulate some general associated concepts which have wide applicability to wireless network design. A synthesis of these concepts into a framework for power-sensitive network architectures is done, based on some key justifiable points. Various important relevant issues are highlighted and discussed, as well as several directions for further research in this area. Overall, a first step is taken toward the design of power-sensitive network architectures for next-generation wireless networks.