Waiting Time Distributions in the Preemptive Accumulating Priority Queue

Abstract

We consider a queueing system in which a single server attends to N priority classes of customers. Upon arrival to the system, a customer begins to accumulate priority linearly at a rate which is distinct to the class to which it belongs. Customers with greater accumulated priority levels are given preferential treatment in the sense that at every service selection instant, the customer with the greatest accumulated priority level is selected next for servicing. Furthermore, the system is preemptive so that the servicing of a customer is interrupted for customers with greater accumulated priority levels. The main objective of the paper is to characterize the waiting time distributions of each class. Numerical examples are also provided which exemplify the true benefit of incorporating an accumulating prioritization structure, namely the ability to control waiting times.