Predictive Downlink Scheduling

A method, in a network node, of scheduling radio resources for users of a communication network, the method comprising, during a current scheduling interval:

• performing, as a first scheduler process, first scheduling of one or more first users selected for scheduling in the current scheduling interval, to thereby make radio resource reservations for the one or more first users;
• selecting, as a second scheduler process, one or more second users identified as having scheduling deadlines falling in a subsequent scheduling interval and that are not among the one or more first users;
• and
• performing, as a further operation of the second scheduler process, second scheduling of the one or more second users for the subsequent scheduling interval, to thereby make radio resource reservations in the subsequent scheduling interval for the one or more second users.

A network node configured to schedule radio resources for users of a communication network, comprising:

• a transceiver circuit configured to transmit and receive signals in the communication network;
• and
• a processing circuit configured, during a current scheduling interval, to:
• perform, as a first scheduler process, first scheduling of one or more first users selected for scheduling in the current scheduling interval, to thereby make radio resource reservations for the one or more first users;
• select, as a second scheduler process, one or more second users identified as having scheduling deadlines falling in a subsequent scheduling interval and that are not among the one or more first users;
• and
• perform, as a further operation of the second scheduler process, second scheduling of the one or more second users for the subsequent scheduling interval, to thereby make radio resource reservations in the subsequent scheduling interval for the one or more second users.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program comprising program instructions that, when executed on at least one processing circuit of a network node, configure the network node for scheduling radio resources for users of a communication network, based on during a current scheduling interval, configuring the at least one processing circuit to:

• perform, as a first scheduler process, first scheduling of one or more first users selected for scheduling in the current scheduling interval, to thereby make radio resource reservations for the one or more first users;
• select, as a second scheduler process, one or more second users identified as having scheduling deadlines falling in a subsequent scheduling interval and that are not among the one or more first users;
• and
• perform, as a further operation of the second scheduler process, second scheduling of the one or more second users for the subsequent scheduling interval to thereby make radio resource reservations in the subsequent scheduling interval for the one or more second users.