arXiv subjects

Sameh Sorour

Publications and source records attributed to Sameh Sorour.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Cooperative Handover Management in Dense Cellular Networks

Network densification has always been an important factor to cope with the ever increasing capacity demand. Deploying more base stations (BSs) improves the spatial frequency utilization, which increases the network capacity. However, such improvement comes at the expense of shrinking the BSs' footprints, which increases the handover (HO) rate and may diminish the foreseen capacity gains. In this paper, we propose a cooperative HO management scheme to mitigate the HO effect on throughput gains achieved via cellular network densification. The proposed HO scheme relies on skipping HO to the nearest BS at some instances along the user's trajectory while enabling cooperative BS service during HO execution at other instances. To this end, we develop a mathematical model, via stochastic geometry, to quantify the performance of the proposed HO scheme in terms of coverage probability and user throughput. The results show that the proposed cooperative HO scheme outperforms the always best connected based association at high mobility. Also, the value of BS cooperation along with handover skipping is quantified with respect to the HO skipping only that has recently appeared in the literature. Particularly, the proposed cooperative HO scheme shows throughput gains of 12% to 27% and 17% on average, when compared to the always best connected and HO skipping only schemes at user velocity ranging from 80 km/h to 160 Km/h, respectively.

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arXiv2016

Network-Coded Macrocell Offloading in Femtocaching-Assisted Cellular Networks

The femtocaching idea was proposed as a solution to compensate for the weak backhaul capacity, by deploying coverage-limited nodes with high storage capacity called femtocaches (FCs). In this paper, the macrocell offloading problem in femtocaching-assisted cellular networks is investigated. The objective is to minimize the number of transmissions by the macrocell base station (MBS) given that all requests should be served simultaneously to satisfy quality-of-experience (QoE) of the clients. We first formulate this MBS offloading problem as an optimization problem over a network coding graph, and show that it is NP-hard. Therefore, we propose an ONC-broadcast offloading scheme that exploits both broadcasting and opportunistic network coding (ONC) to minimize the number of required MBS transmissions. We utilize a random graph model to approximate the performance of the proposed ONC-broadcast scheme in terms of the resultant average number of transmissions by the MBS. Moreover, despite the complexity of finding the optimal solution for each and every case, we prove that this ONC-broadcast scheme is asymptotically optimal, i.e., for large number of requests, the ONC-broadcast scheme achieves a similar macrocell offloading performance to that of the optimal solution. To implement the ONC-broadcast scheme, we devise a heuristic that employs a dual conflict graph or broadcasting at the FCs such that the remaining requests can be served using the minimum number of transmissions at the MBS. Simulations show that the dual graph scheme improves MBS offloading as compared to the traditional separate graph scheme. Furthermore, the simple heuristic proposed to implement the ONC-broadcast scheme achieves a very close performance to the optimal ONC-broadcast scheme.

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arXiv2016

Handover Management in Dense Cellular Networks: A Stochastic Geometry Approach

Cellular operators are continuously densifying their networks to cope with the ever-increasing capacity demand. Furthermore, an extreme densification phase for cellular networks is foreseen to fulfill the ambitious fifth generation (5G) performance requirements. Network densification improves spectrum utilization and network capacity by shrinking base stations' (BSs) footprints and reusing the same spectrum more frequently over the spatial domain. However, network densification also increases the handover (HO) rate, which may diminish the capacity gains for mobile users due to HO delays. In highly dense 5G cellular networks, HO delays may neutralize or even negate the gains offered by network densification. In this paper, we present an analytical paradigm, based on stochastic geometry, to quantify the effect of HO delay on the average user rate in cellular networks. To this end, we propose a flexible handover scheme to reduce HO delay in case of highly dense cellular networks. This scheme allows skipping the HO procedure with some BSs along users' trajectories. The performance evaluation and testing of this scheme for only single HO skipping shows considerable gains in many practical scenarios.

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arXiv2016

Delivery Time Reduction for Order-Constrained Applications using Binary Network Codes

Consider a radio access network wherein a base-station is required to deliver a set of order-constrained messages to a set of users over independent erasure channels. This paper studies the delivery time reduction problem using instantly decodable network coding (IDNC). Motivated by time-critical and order-constrained applications, the delivery time is defined, at each transmission, as the number of undelivered messages. The delivery time minimization problem being computationally intractable, most of the existing literature on IDNC propose sub-optimal online solutions. This paper suggests a novel method for solving the problem by introducing the delivery delay as a measure of distance to optimality. An expression characterizing the delivery time using the delivery delay is derived, allowing the approximation of the delivery time minimization problem by an optimization problem involving the delivery delay. The problem is, then, formulated as a maximum weight clique selection problem over the IDNC graph wherein the weight of each vertex reflects its corresponding user and message's delay. Simulation results suggest that the proposed solution achieves lower delivery and completion times as compared to the best-known heuristics for delivery time reduction.

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arXiv2015

Network Coding for Video Distortion Reduction in Device-to-Device Communications

In this paper, we study the problem of distributing a real-time video sequence to a group of partially connected cooperative wireless devices using instantly decodable network coding (IDNC). In such a scenario, the coding conflicts occur to service multiple devices with an immediately decodable packet and the transmission conflicts occur from simultaneous transmissions of multiple devices. To avoid these conflicts, we introduce a novel IDNC graph that represents all feasible coding and transmission conflict-free decisions in one unified framework. Moreover, a real-time video sequence has a hard deadline and unequal importance of video packets. Using these video characteristics and the new IDNC graph, we formulate the problem of minimizing the mean video distortion before the deadline as a finite horizon Markov decision process (MDP) problem. However, the backward induction algorithm that finds the optimal policy of the MDP formulation has high modelling and computational complexities. To reduce these complexities, we further design a two-stage maximal independent set selection algorithm, which can efficiently reduce the mean video distortion before the deadline. Simulation results over a real video sequence show that our proposed IDNC algorithms improve the received video quality compared to the existing IDNC algorithms.

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arXiv2015

Rate Aware Instantly Decodable Network Codes

This paper addresses the problem of reducing the delivery time of data messages to cellular users using instantly decodable network coding (IDNC) with physical-layer rate awareness. While most of the existing literature on IDNC does not consider any physical layer complications and abstract the model as equally slotted time for all users, this paper proposes a cross-layer scheme that incorporates the different channel rates of the various users in the decision process of both the transmitted message combinations and the rates with which they are transmitted. The consideration of asymmetric rates for receivers reflects more practical application scenarios and introduces a new trade-off between the choice of coding combinations for various receivers and the broadcasting rate for achieving shorter completion time. The completion time minimization problem in such scenario is first shown to be intractable. The problem is, thus, approximated by reducing, at each transmission, the increase of an anticipated version of the completion time. The paper solves the problem by formulating it as a maximum weight clique problem over a newly designed rate aware IDNC (RA-IDNC) graph. The highest weight clique in the created graph being potentially not unique, the paper further suggests a multi-layer version of the proposed solution to improve the obtained results from the employed completion time approximation. Simulation results indicate that the cross-layer design largely outperforms the uncoded transmissions strategies and the classical IDNC scheme.

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arXiv2015

Delay Reduction in Multi-Hop Device-to-Device Communication using Network Coding

This paper considers the problem of reducing the broadcast decoding delay of wireless networks using instantly decodable network coding (IDNC) based device-to-device (D2D) communications. In a D2D configuration, devices in the network can help hasten the recovery of the lost packets of other devices in their transmission range by sending network coded packets. Unlike previous works that assumed fully connected network, this paper proposes a partially connected configuration in which the decision should be made not only on the packet combinations but also on the set of transmitting devices. First, the different events occurring at each device are identified so as to derive an expression for the probability distribution of the decoding delay. The joint optimization problem over the set of transmitting devices and the packet combinations of each is, then, formulated. The optimal solution of the joint optimization problem is derived using a graph theory approach by introducing the cooperation graph and reformulating the problem as a maximum weight clique problem in which the weight of each vertex is the contribution of the device identified by the vertex. Through extensive simulations, the decoding delay experienced by all devices in the Point to Multi-Point (PMP) configuration, the fully connected D2D (FC-D2D) configuration and the more practical partially connected D2D (PC-D2D) configuration are compared. Numerical results suggest that the PC-D2D outperforms the FC-D2D and provides appreciable gain especially for poorly connected networks.

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arXiv2015

A Graph Model for Opportunistic Network Coding

Recent advancements in graph-based analysis and solutions of instantly decodable network coding (IDNC) trigger the interest to extend them to more complicated opportunistic network coding (ONC) scenarios, with limited increase in complexity. In this paper, we design a simple IDNC-like graph model for a specific subclass of ONC, by introducing a more generalized definition of its vertices and the notion of vertex aggregation in order to represent the storage of non-instantly-decodable packets in ONC. Based on this representation, we determine the set of pairwise vertex adjacency conditions that can populate this graph with edges so as to guarantee decodability or aggregation for the vertices of each clique in this graph. We then develop the algorithmic procedures that can be applied on the designed graph model to optimize any performance metric for this ONC subclass. A case study on reducing the completion time shows that the proposed framework improves on the performance of IDNC and gets very close to the optimal performance.

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arXiv2015

Instantly Decodable Network Coding for Real-Time Scalable Video Broadcast over Wireless Networks

In this paper, we study a real-time scalable video broadcast over wireless networks in instantly decodable network coded (IDNC) systems. Such real-time scalable video has a hard deadline and imposes a decoding order on the video layers.We first derive the upper bound on the probability that the individual completion times of all receivers meet the deadline. Using this probability, we design two prioritized IDNC algorithms, namely the expanding window IDNC (EW-IDNC) algorithm and the non-overlapping window IDNC (NOW-IDNC) algorithm. These algorithms provide a high level of protection to the most important video layer before considering additional video layers in coding decisions. Moreover, in these algorithms, we select an appropriate packet combination over a given number of video layers so that these video layers are decoded by the maximum number of receivers before the deadline. We formulate this packet selection problem as a two-stage maximal clique selection problem over an IDNC graph. Simulation results over a real scalable video stream show that our proposed EW-IDNC and NOW-IDNC algorithms improve the received video quality compared to the existing IDNC algorithms.

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arXiv2014

Generalized Instantly Decodable Network Coding for Relay-Assisted Networks

In this paper, we investigate the problem of minimizing the frame completion delay for Instantly Decodable Network Coding (IDNC) in relay-assisted wireless multicast networks. We first propose a packet recovery algorithm in the single relay topology which employs generalized IDNC instead of strict IDNC previously proposed in the literature for the same relay-assisted topology. This use of generalized IDNC is supported by showing that it is a super-set of the strict IDNC scheme, and thus can generate coding combinations that are at least as efficient as strict IDNC in reducing the average completion delay. We then extend our study to the multiple relay topology and propose a joint generalized IDNC and relay selection algorithm. This proposed algorithm benefits from the reception diversity of the multiple relays to further reduce the average completion delay in the network. Simulation results show that our proposed solutions achieve much better performance compared to previous solutions in the literature.

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arXiv2014

In Order Packet Delivery in Instantly Decodable Network Coded Systems over Wireless Broadcast

In this paper, we study in-order packet delivery in instantly decodable network coded systems for wireless broadcast networks. We are interested in applications, in which the successful delivery of a packet depends on the correct reception of this packet and all its preceding packets. We formulate the problem of minimizing the number of undelivered packets to all receivers over all transmissions until completion as a stochastic shortest path (SSP) problem. Although finding the optimal packet selection policy using SSP is computationally complex, it allows us to systematically exploit the problem structure and draw guidelines for efficient packet selection policies that can reduce the number of undelivered packets to all receivers over all transmissions until completion. According to these guidelines, we design a simple heuristic packet selection algorithm. Simulation results illustrate that our proposed algorithm provides quicker packet delivery to the receivers compared to the existing algorithms in the literature.

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arXiv2014

Delay Minimization for Instantly Decodable Network Coding in Persistent Channels with Feedback Intermittence

In this paper, we consider the problem of minimizing the multicast decoding delay of generalized instantly decodable network coding (G-IDNC) over persistent forward and feedback erasure channels with feedback intermittence. In such an environment, the sender does not always receive acknowledgement from the receivers after each transmission. Moreover, both the forward and feedback channels are subject to persistent erasures, which can be modelled by a two state (good and bad states) Markov chain known as Gilbert-Elliott channel (GEC). Due to such feedback imperfections, the sender is unable to determine subsequent instantly decodable packets combination for all receivers. Given this harsh channel and feedback model, we first derive expressions for the probability distributions of decoding delay increments and then employ these expressions in formulating the minimum decoding problem in such environment as a maximum weight clique problem in the G-IDNC graph. We also show that the problem formulations in simpler channel and feedback models are special cases of our generalized formulation. Since this problem is NP-hard, we design a greedy algorithm to solve it and compare it to blind approaches proposed in literature. Through extensive simulations, our adaptive algorithm is shown to outperform the blind approaches in all situations and to achieve significant improvement in the decoding delay, especially when the channel is highly persistent

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arXiv2014

A Game-Theoretic Framework for Decentralized Cooperative Data Exchange using Network Coding

In this paper, we introduce a game theoretic framework for studying the problem of minimizing the delay of instantly decodable network coding (IDNC) for cooperative data exchange (CDE) in decentralized wireless network. In this configuration, clients cooperate with each other to recover the erased packets without a central controller. Game theory is employed herein as a tool for improving the distributed solution by overcoming the need for a central controller or additional signaling in the system. We model the session by self-interested players in a non-cooperative potential game. The utility functions are designed such that increasing individual payoff results in a collective behavior achieving both a desirable system performance in a shared network environment and the Nash bargaining solution. Three games are developed: the first aims to reduce the completion time, the second to reduce the maximum decoding delay and the third the sum decoding delay. We improve these formulations to include punishment policy upon collision occurrence and achieve the Nash bargaining solution. Through extensive simulations, our framework is tested against the best performance that could be found in the conventional point-to-multipoint (PMP) recovery process in numerous cases: first we simulate the problem with complete information. We, then, simulate with incomplete information and finally we test it in lossy feedback scenario. Numerical results show that our formulation with complete information largely outperforms the conventional PMP scheme in most situations and achieves a lower delay. They also show that the completion time formulation with incomplete information also outperforms the conventional PMP.

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arXiv2014

Decoding Delay Controlled Reduction of Completion Time in Instantly Decodable Network Coding

For several years, the completion time and the decoding delay problems in Instantly Decodable Network Coding (IDNC) were considered separately and were thought to completely act against each other. Recently, some works aimed to balance the effects of these two important IDNC metrics but none of them studied a further optimization of one by controlling the other. In this paper, we study the effect of controlling the decoding delay to reduce the completion time below its currently best known solution in persistent erasure channels. We first derive the decoding-delay-dependent expressions of the users' and overall completion times. Although using such expressions to find the optimal overall completion time is NP-hard, we design two novel heuristics that minimizes the probability of increasing the maximum of these decoding-delay-dependent completion time expressions after each transmission through a layered control of their decoding delays. We, then, extend our study to the limited feedback scenario. Simulation results show that our new algorithms achieves both a lower mean completion time and mean decoding delay compared to the best known heuristic for completion time reduction. The gap in performance becomes significant for harsh erasure scenarios.

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arXiv2014

A Game Theoretic Approach to Minimize the Completion Time of Network Coded Cooperative Data Exchange

In this paper, we introduce a game theoretic framework for studying the problem of minimizing the completion time of instantly decodable network coding (IDNC) for cooperative data exchange (CDE) in decentralized wireless network. In this configuration, clients cooperate with each other to recover the erased packets without a central controller. Game theory is employed herein as a tool for improving the distributed solution by overcoming the need for a central controller or additional signaling in the system. We model the session by self-interested players in a non-cooperative potential game. The utility function is designed such that increasing individual payoff results in a collective behavior achieving both a desirable system performance in a shared network environment and the Pareto optimal solution. Through extensive simulations, our approach is compared to the best performance that could be found in the conventional point-to-multipoint (PMP) recovery process. Numerical results show that our formulation largely outperforms the conventional PMP scheme in most practical situations and achieves a lower delay.

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arXiv2014

Completion Time Reduction in Instantly Decodable Network Coding Through Decoding Delay Control

For several years, the completion time and decoding delay problems in Instantly Decodable Network Coding (IDNC) were considered separately and were thought to completely act against each other. Recently, some works aimed to balance the effects of these two important IDNC metrics but none of them studied a further optimization of one by controlling the other. In this paper, we study the effect of controlling the decoding delay to reduce the completion time below its currently best known solution. We first derive the decoding-delay-dependent expressions of the users' and overall completion times. Although using such expressions to find the optimal overall completion time is NP-hard, we design a novel heuristic that minimizes the probability of increasing the maximum of these decoding-delay-dependent completion time expressions after each transmission through a layered control of their decoding delays. Simulation results show that this new algorithm achieves both a lower mean completion time and mean decoding delay compared to the best known heuristic for completion time reduction. The gap in performance becomes significant for harsh erasure scenarios.

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arXiv2014

On Minimizing the Maximum Broadcast Decoding Delay for Instantly Decodable Network Coding

In this paper, we consider the problem of minimizing the maximum broadcast decoding delay experienced by all the receivers of generalized instantly decodable network coding (IDNC). Unlike the sum decoding delay, the maximum decoding delay as a definition of delay for IDNC allows a more equitable distribution of the delays between the different receivers and thus a better Quality of Service (QoS). In order to solve this problem, we first derive the expressions for the probability distributions of maximum decoding delay increments. Given these expressions, we formulate the problem as a maximum weight clique problem in the IDNC graph. Although this problem is known to be NP-hard, we design a greedy algorithm to perform effective packet selection. Through extensive simulations, we compare the sum decoding delay and the max decoding delay experienced when applying the policies to minimize the sum decoding delay [1] and our policy to reduce the max decoding delay. Simulations results show that our policy gives a good agreement among all the delay aspects in all situations and outperforms the sum decoding delay policy to effectively minimize the sum decoding delay when the channel conditions become harsher. They also show that our definition of delay significantly improve the number of served receivers when they are subject to strict delay constraints.

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arXiv2013

On Improving the Balance between the Completion Time and Decoding Delay in Instantly Decodable Network Coded Systems

This paper studies the complicated interplay of the completion time (as a measure of throughput) and the decoding delay performance in instantly decodable network coded (IDNC) systems over wireless broadcast erasure channels with memory, and proposes two new algorithms that improve the balance between the completion time and decoding delay of broadcasting a block of packets. We first formulate the IDNC packet selection problem that provides joint control of the completion time and decoding delay as a statistical shortest path (SSP) problem. However, since finding the optimal packet selection policy using the SSP technique is computationally complex, we employ its geometric structure to find some guidelines and use them to propose two heuristic packet selection algorithms that can efficiently improve the balance between the completion time and decoding delay for broadcast erasure channels with a wide range of memory conditions. It is shown that each one of the two proposed algorithms is superior for a specific range of memory conditions. Furthermore, we show that the proposed algorithms achieve an improved fairness in terms of the decoding delay across all receivers.

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