Optimal Scheduling for Broadcast Erasure Channels with Energy Harvesting Receivers

Abstract

In this paper, an optimal scheduling for broadcasting packets to two receivers over erasure channels with feedback is studied. We propose a probabilistic algorithm for packet broadcasting to two receivers, and it is demonstrated that the algorithm is capacity achieving. The probabilistic algorithm is a feedback-based network coding algorithm. By using the probabilistic broadcasting algorithm, we formulate the problem of maximizing the weighted sum of energy harvesting receivers throughputs for any desired number of channel uses. We consider that the harvesting rate of each receiver changes during time slots and is known prior to transmissions. We optimize number broadcasted packets and charging time in order to maximize the weighted sum of throughputs, and then, a packet broadcasting policy is proposed.