Dynamic control and accuracy of the pi-persistent protocol using channel feedback

The p_i-persistent protocol is based on a probabilistic scheduling mechanism (see Mukherjee and Meditch, 1988). The authors further develop the protocol to make it easily implementable, by allowing it to be sensitive to changing load conditions. They study various properties of a simple algorithm which stations execute independently by using channel feedback information. This results in a fully distributed control mechanism that continuously adjusts the station probabilities p_i at their proper levels as governed by the offered traffic. An extensive simulation model has been developed to study properties of this control mechanism such as p_i settling time and accuracy, behavior under step changes in traffic load, effect of injection of additional packets, and effect of various parameters associated with the underlying algorithm. These experiments indicate that this algorithm is suitable for implementing the protocol