Interference-Aware MAC Protocol for Wireless Networks by a Game-Theoretic Approach

Abstract

We propose an interference-aware MAC protocol using a simple transmission strategy motivated by a gametheoretic approach. We formulate a channel access game, which considers nodes concurrently transmitting in nearby clusters, incorporating a realistic wireless communication model -the SINR model. Under inter-cluster interference, we derive a decentralized transmission strategy, which achieves a Bayesian Nash Equilibrium (BNE). The proposed MAC protocol balances network throughput and battery consumption at each transmission.We compare our BNE-based decentralized strategy with a centralized globally optimal strategy in terms of efficiency and balance. We further show that the transmission threshold should be adaptively tuned depending on the number of active users in the network, crosstalk, ambient noise, transmission cost, and radio-dependent receiver sensitivity. We also present a simple dynamic procedure for nodes to efficiently find a Nash Equilibrium (NE) without requiring each node to know the total number of active nodes or the channel gain distribution, and prove that this procedure is guaranteed to converge.

Opportunistic distributed channel access for a dense wireless small‐cell zone

“…The pure-strategy BNSE proved in G 1 is an extension of the single channel result of [25] to a multichannel case. However, the extension is nontrivial and the proof method is novel, in that we employ stochastic coupling theory [30].…”

Game theoretic approach to medium access control in wireless networks

“…The random channel access from the game theory point of view was investigated in this chapter, and a background was provided on how game theory can be applied to a random channel access protocol and the way in which an equilibrium solution (i.e., behaviour of the nodes at steady state) can be obtained. Mixed strategy Nash equilibrium [67,68,69] Strategy: to transmit and not to transmit.…”

A game theoretical approach for interference mitigation in Body-to-Body Networks

“…Whilst a number of previous interference-aware studies have been based upon power considerations [3], [4], others have chosen alternative approaches [5], [6] to deal with this challenging problem in the design of WBANs. In [4] the authors propose a distributed power control algorithm representing the best tradeoff between energy and network utility.…”

“…In addition to the previously mentioned challenging issues, the mobility of WBANs in their surrounding environment and their interactions with each other make the interference mitigation in body-to-body networks a very interesting and mandatory problem to address. This is indeed the focus of the paper.Whilst a number of previous interference-aware studies have been based upon power considerations [3], [4], others have chosen alternative approaches [5], [6] to deal with this challenging problem in the design of WBANs. In [4] the authors propose a distributed power control algorithm representing the best tradeoff between energy and network utility.…”