Wireless message scheduling for improved fairness

Abstract

Currently, if a wireless device transmits a message but it is not received properly, the device is required to wait a variable time before retransmitting the message, and that waiting time is increased after each unsuccessful attempt. This is to reduce network congestion at high traffic rates, but it also puts certain users at an unfair disadvantage. For example, a user that has tried repeatedly to communicate is forced to wait longer and longer intervals, while another user is permitted to communicate without delay on the same channel. Clearly, this is an unfair situation. Therefore, disclosed herein is an alternate protocol in which users are given increasing priority after each failed attempt, specifically by reducing the fixed waiting time and/or a random backoff delay, before the next attempt. Simulations show that this change substantially eliminates the unfairness.