2008/09/17 by Leonard H. Grokop, Grokop, Leonard, David Tse +1
Business, Management and Accounting · Computer Science · Engineering · #Advanced Queuing Theory Analysis #Advanced Wireless Network Optimization #Cognitive Radio Networks and Spectrum Sensing #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Information Theory (cs.IT)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0809.2840
openalex publication_date 2008/09/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We consider the problem of two wireless networks operating on the same (presumably unlicensed) frequency band. Pairs within a given network cooperate to schedule transmissions, but between networks there is competition for spectrum. To make the problem tractable, we assume transmissions are scheduled according to a random access protocol where each network chooses an access probability for its users. A game between the two networks is defined. We characterize the Nash Equilibrium behavior of the system. Three regimes are identified; one in which both networks simultaneously schedule all transmissions; one in which the denser network schedules all transmissions and the sparser only schedules a fraction; and one in which both networks schedule only a fraction of their transmissions. The regime of operation depends on the pathloss exponent α, the latter regime being desirable, but attainable only for α>4. This suggests that in certain environments, rival wireless networks may end up naturally cooperating. To substantiate our analytical results, we simulate a system where networks iteratively optimize their access probabilities in a greedy manner. We also discuss a distributed scheduling protocol that employs carrier sensing, and demonstrate via simulations, that again a near cooperative equilibrium exists for sufficiently large α.