Differentiated QoS Provisioning in Wireless Networks Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning

Abstract

Wireless networks manage performance by adjusting the contention window, as they cannot directly detect collisions. Traditional contention window adjustment algorithms, such as the Binary Exponential Backoff (BEB) algorithm, may lead to lower throughput when multiple services with varying bandwidth demands coexist. To address this issue, this study aims to enhance network throughput by enabling differentiated bandwidth allocation for various services. Using deep reinforcement learning, the state space, action space, and reward functions are defined to optimize this differentiation. These definitions are integrated into the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) technique, implemented in the Access Point (AP) to intelligently adjust the contention window. Leveraging DDPG’s capability for continuous actions, the proposed method provides Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation, ensuring that each service at its respective priority level meets its transmission requirements. Compared to the BEB algorithm, the proposed approach offers improved traffic allocation and higher network bandwidth utilization.