Medium Access Control Protocols With Memory

Many existing medium access control (MAC) protocols utilize past information (e.g., the results of transmission attempts) to adjust the transmission parameters of users. This paper provides a general framework to express and evaluate distributed MAC protocols utilizing a finite length of memory for a given form of feedback information. We define protocols with memory in the context of a slotted random access network with saturated arrivals. We introduce two performance metrics, throughput and average delay, and formulate the problem of finding an optimal protocol. We first show that a time-division multiple access (TDMA) outcome, which is the best outcome in the considered scenario, can be obtained after a transient period by using a protocol with -slot memory, where is the total number of users. Next, we analyze the performance of protocols with one-slot memory using a Markov chain and numerical methods. Protocols with one-slot memory can achieve throughput arbitrarily close to 1 (i.e., 100% channel utilization) at the expense of large average delay by correlating successful users in two consecutive slots. Finally, we apply our framework to wireless local area networks (WLANs).

[1]  Richard T. B. Ma,et al.  An Analysis of Generalized Slotted-Aloha Protocols , 2009, IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking.

[2]  William Feller,et al.  An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications , 1967 .

[3]  John N. Tsitsiklis,et al.  Introduction to Probability , 2002 .

[4]  Carl D. Meyer,et al.  Matrix Analysis and Applied Linear Algebra , 2000 .

[5]  Wha Sook Jeon,et al.  Performance of an exponential backoff scheme for slotted-ALOHA protocol in local wireless environment , 1995 .

[6]  Charles M. Grinstead,et al.  Introduction to probability , 1999, Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences.

[7]  R. Radner.  Repeated Partnership Games with Imperfect Monitoring and No Discounting , 1986 .

[8]  G. Mailath,et al.  Repeated Games and Reputations: Long-Run Relationships , 2006 .

[9]  Dimitri P. Bertsekas,et al.  Data networks (2nd ed.) , 1992 .

[10]  John Capetanakis,et al.  Tree algorithms for packet broadcast channels , 1979, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory.

[11]  A. M. Abdullah,et al.  Wireless lan medium access control (mac) and physical layer (phy) specifications , 1997 .

[12]  A. Robert Calderbank,et al.  Reverse-Engineering MAC: A Non-Cooperative Game Model , 2007, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

[13]  G. Mailath,et al.  Repeated Games and Reputations , 2006 .

[14]  A. Girotra,et al.  Performance Analysis of the IEEE 802 . 11 Distributed Coordination Function , 2005 .

[15]  Vincent W. S. Wong,et al.  Utility-optimal random access without message passing , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[16]  Roshdy H. M. Hafez.  Broadband wireless access , 2004, 2004 IEEE/IFIP Network Operations and Management Symposium (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37507).

[17]  Stuart C. Schwartz,et al.  Stability properties of slotted Aloha with multipacket reception capability , 1988 .

[18]  Danijela Cabric,et al.  Experimental study of spectrum sensing based on energy detection and network cooperation , 2006, TAPAS '06.

[19]  A. Robert Calderbank,et al.  Reverse Engineering MAC , 2006, 2006 4th International Symposium on Modeling and Optimization in Mobile, Ad Hoc and Wireless Networks.

[20]  Nader Mahravari,et al.  Random-access communication with multiple reception , 1990, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory.

[21]  Stephen B. Wicker,et al.  Stability of Slotted Aloha with Multipacket Reception and Selfish Users , 2003, INFOCOM 2003.

[22]  Edward D. Lazowska,et al.  Quantitative system performance - computer system analysis using queueing network models , 1983, Int. CMG Conference.

[23]  Feller William,et al.  An Introduction To Probability Theory And Its Applications , 1950 .

[24]  Lawrence G. Roberts,et al.  ALOHA packet system with and without slots and capture , 1975, CCRV.

[25]  M. Dufwenberg.  Game theory. , 2011, Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Cognitive science.

[26]  Eitan Altman,et al.  Correlated Equilibrium in Access Control for Wireless Communications , 2006, Networking.

[27]  George Kesidis,et al.  Equilibria of a noncooperative game for heterogeneous users of an ALOHA network , 2002, IEEE Communications Letters.

[28]  Ronald L. Rivest,et al.  Network control by Bayesian broadcast , 1987, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory.

[29]  James L. Massey,et al.  The collision channel without feedback , 1985, IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory.

[30]  Eitan Altman,et al.  Slotted Aloha as a game with partial information , 2004, Comput. Networks.

[31]  Kang G. Shin,et al.  Achieving efficient channel utilization and weighted fairness for data communications in IEEE 802.11 WLAN under the DCF , 2002, IEEE 2002 Tenth IEEE International Workshop on Quality of Service (Cat. No.02EX564).

[32]  Dimitri P. Bertsekas,et al.  Data Networks , 1986 .

[33]  Mihaela van der Schaar,et al.  Stackelberg Contention Games in Multiuser Networks , 2008, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process..

[34]  Bruce Hajek,et al.  Decentralized dynamic control of a multiaccess broadcast channel , 1982 .