A Scheduling Algorithm with Dynamic Priority Assignment for WCDMA Systems

In third generation WCDMA systems, shared channels allow many users to jointly utilize a single orthogonal variable spreading factor (OVSF) code. In this paper, we propose a scheduling algorithm with dynamic priority assignment (DPA) which is designed for the downlink-shared channel (DSCH) of 3G WCDMA systems and operates within a cross layer framework. The DPA scheduler has low computational complexity and is able to provide QoS differentiation among traffic flows based on their delay sensitivity. Through the cross layer framework, DPA takes into account the variations of the wireless channel, and exploits processing gain to improve transmission quality and enable service provisioning when possible. Additionally, by providing a guaranteed rate per traffic flow at each scheduling period, DPA can offer a deterministic delay bound to each connection when transmissions are reliable. Stochastic delay guarantees under transmission power limitations are also provided when the traffic flows are identical. Simulation results show that DPA outperforms feasible earliest due date (FEDD), a variation of EDD for wireless environments.