Optimal packet scheduling in a multiple access channel with energy harvesting transmitters

In this paper, we investigate the optimal packet scheduling problem in a two-user multiple access communication system, where the transmitters are able to harvest energy from the nature. Under a deterministic system setting, we assume that the energy harvesting times and harvested energy amounts are known before the transmission starts. For the packet arrivals, we assume that packets have already arrived and are ready to be transmitted at the transmitter before the transmission starts. Our goal is to minimize the time by which all packets from both users are delivered to the destination through controlling the transmission powers and transmission rates of both users. We first develop a generalized iterative backward waterfilling algorithm to characterize the maximum departure region of the transmitters for any given deadline T. Then, based on the sequence of maximum departure regions at energy arrival instants, we decompose the transmission completion time minimization problem into convex optimization problems and solve the overall problem efficiently.