Throughput Region of Random-Access Networks of General Topology

A random-access model is introduced and studied, which is a generalization of the classical slotted Aloha model. Unlike in the slotted Aloha, where two or more simultaneous transmissions on any subset of links collide and “erase” each other, a quite general interference structure is considered, where transmission on link i erases a simultaneous transmission on link j with some fixed probability φij. In particular, it is allowed that φij ≠ φji, which captures possible asymmetric interference in real-most notably wireless-communication networks. Results characterizing the maximum achievable link throughput region and its Pareto boundary are derived. In some cases, the Pareto boundary characterization is almost as simple and explicit as that derived in prior work for the classical slotted Aloha system.