Priority Scheduling Algorithm for Traffic in a LTE-based Defence Mesh Network Incorporating Centralised Scheduling Architecture

Abstract

Wireless mesh networks (WMN) are the networks of future and can operate on multiple protocols ranging from WiFi, WiMax to long term evolution (LTE). As a recent trend defence networks are incorporating off-the-shelf, state of the art commercial protocols to enhance the capability of their networks. LTE is one such commercially available protocol which is easy to deploy and provide high data rate which can be ideally implemented in WMN for defence networks. To enable these high data rate services LTE-based defence mesh networks (DMN) are the requirement of the day and future. However, LTE-based DMN are prone to congestion at times of active operations or full-fledged war. The congestion scenarios may lead to LTE packet loss. Hence, it is pertinent that these networks amalgamate information grooming algorithms to alleviate the throughput of the network in peak hour conditions. An efficient priority scheduling algorithm based on class of service prioritisation, data rate consumption and location of origin of traffic in the DMN is proposed. The simulations demonstrate that by incorporating the proposed priority scheduling algorithm, the overall packet loss of priority packets in the DMN reduces substantially.