Mission-based Joint Optimal Resource Allocation in Wireless Multicast Sensor Networks

In this paper, we study the application of the NUM framework for joint resource allocation in multi-hop wireless sensor networks where individual data streams are forwarded, using link-layer multicast, to multiple sinks. The network utility maximization (NUM) is applied here to jointly adapt source data rates, node transmission powers and flow airtimes to optimize the network utility. To extend the existing NUM approach to realistic sensor multicast scenarios, where each sensor node has only one halfduplex radio interface, new time-sharing constraints and periodic transmission schedules are introduced in the problem investigation. With an added power penalty in the objective function, the new NUM optimization for multicast networks is proved to have one and only one optimum in high SINR region, and a distributed algorithm is developed for the optimal allocation of rate, power and airtime. Simulation results validate the convergence and reveal the improvement in network utility due to the optimal airtime allocation.