Analysis of carrier sense multiple access protocols for channels supporting multi-packet reception

Exact throughput analysis of unslotted carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for channels supporting multi-packet reception (MPR) is carried out. The protocols considered include (i) non-persistent and (ii) 1-persistent CSMA. An adaptive non-persistent CSMA protocol for channels supporting MPR has been proposed and evaluated. A Markov chain model with states representing the transmission period of the 1-persistent CSMA is used in the analysis. Analytical results are validated using simulation. The authors show that for CSMA protocols supporting MPR the throughput is crucially dependent on the carrier sensing delay.