Analytic modeling of CSMA/CA based differentiated access control with mixed priorities for smart utility networks

A stochastic model is presented in this paper for packet-level performance analysis of the medium access control (MAC) schemes considered for adoption in smart utility networks. Smart grid communications involve critical issues in terms of reliability and timeliness, and the MAC largely determines efficiency of packet-level communication within the immediate neighborhood. Powerline communication (PLC), a relatively old communication technology, has reemerged in recent times, and is regarded as one of the key enablers in smart grid communication. The analytic problem addressed in this paper is formulated in light of the distinctive characteristics of some of the PLC based MAC schemes, and also relevant to smart grid utility networks, e.g., low data rate CSMA/CA with access differentiation. Specifically, with consideration of two classes of packets, this paper investigates basic performance metrics such as throughput and packet service time in view of the effectiveness of the access differentiation mechanisms. The evaluation shows that with increase in the number of contending nodes, strong discrimination between the classes persists in medium access opportunities though both aggregate and class-wise throughputs degrade.