Inter-session inter-layer network coding-based dual distributed control for heterogeneous-service networks

Recent advances in network coding have shown great potential for efficient information transfer. In this paper, exploiting inter-layer and inter-session network coding, we address the distributed control problem in heterogeneous-service networks (HSNs) with booming multi-rate multicast (MRM) and unicast (UC) services. Different from the literatures on inter-layer/inter-session schemes, heterogeneity and fairness among MRM users and between different services are jointly considered. With the Lagrangian and subgradient method, a decentralized rate control algorithm is developed with little coordination among intermediate nodes, in which only local information is needed to achieve rate, congestion, and fairness balance control. Numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness and convergence of the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, we demonstrate the performance improvement and implementation advantages of the proposed algorithm compared with the previous solutions considering layered coding for an MRM service or inter-session coding limited for UC services.