Multi-class orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) scheduling

An apparatus comprising:

• a memory storage;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:
• group a plurality of network devices for channel access in a transmission window based on behavior profiles of the network devices, the plurality of network devices comprising a first number of network devices and a second number of network devices;
• send a first signal to the first number of network devices, the first signal configured to enable the first number of network devices to access the channel in a first portion of the transmission window;
• determine an amount of data to be exchanged by the second number of network devices;
• determine, based on the amount of data to be exchanged, a schedule for channel access for each of the second number of network devices in a second portion of the transmission window;
• and
• send, based on the schedule, a second signal to the second number of network devices, the second signal configured to enable the second number of network devices to access the channel in the second portion of the transmission window.

A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

• assigning, based on behavior profiles, a plurality of network devices for channel access in a transmission window, the plurality of network devices comprising a first number of network devices and a second number of network devices;
• sending a first signal to the first number of network devices, the first signal configured to enable the first number of network devices to access the channel in a random access mode in a first portion of the transmission window;
• determining an amount of data to be exchanged by each of the second number of network devices;
• determining, based on the amount of data to be exchanged, a schedule for channel access for each of the second number of network devices in a second portion of the transmission window;
• and
• sending, based on the determined schedule, a second signal to the second number of network devices, the second signal configured to enable the second number of network devices to access the channel in a schedule access mode in the second portion of the transmission window.