Adaptive MAC Protocols Using Memory for Networks With Critical Traffic

• Published in: IEEE transactions on signal processing Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 1269 - 1279
• Main Authors: Jaeok Park, van der Schaar, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.03.2011; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Access control; Adaptation model; Adaptive protocols with memory; Applied sciences; Channels; Communication networks; Communications networks; Delay; distributed medium access control protocols; Emergencies; Exact sciences and technology; History; Information, signal and communications theory; Markov processes; Media Access Protocol; Message passing; Miscellaneous; Networks; networks with critical traffic; Protocol (computers); Signal processing; slotted multiaccess communication; Telecommunications and information theory; Traffic engineering; Traffic flow; Access control; Multiple access; Interruption; Data transmission; Adaptive method; Adaptive protocols with memory; distributed medium access control protocols; slotted multiaccess communication; Telecommunication network; networks with critical traffic; Signal processing; Delay time; Access protocol; Emergency system; User need
• ISSN: 1053-587X; 1941-0476
• DOI: 10.1109/TSP.2010.2094613

We consider a multiaccess communication network where network users are subject to critical events such as emergencies and crises. If a critical event occurs to a user, the user needs to send critical traffic as early as possible. However, most existing medium access control (MAC) protocols are not adequate to meet the urgent need for data transmission by users with critical traffic. In this paper, we devise a class of distributed MAC protocols that achieve coordination using the finite-length memory of users containing their own observations and traffic types. We formulate a protocol design problem and find protocols that solve the problem. The proposed protocols enable a user with critical traffic to transmit its critical traffic without interruption from other users after a short delay while allowing users to share the channel efficiently when there is no critical traffic. Moreover, the proposed protocols require low communications and computational overhead.