A Game-Theoretic Look at Throughput and Stability in Random Access

Abstract

We address the problem of non-cooperative random access of two nodes randomly transmitting packets to a single common receiver. We assume infinite buffer capacities and consider a general multi-packet reception channel that allows packet captures in the presence of multiple simultaneous transmissions. For separate cases of saturated or possibly emptying packet queues, we specify the random access transmission strategies in cooperative and non-cooperative equilibrium to optimize the achievable or stable throughput rates, transmission energy and delay costs. We follow a game-theoretic approach to compare the non-cooperative performance of selfish nodes with full cooperation in random or scheduled access. Finally, we present extensions to random access with each packet addressed to multiple receivers.