Performance evaluation of MAC backoff algorithm in Narrowband PLC

This paper investigates the backoff algorithm for Narrowband Power Line Communications (PLC) Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol. Specifically, the paper considered the MAC designed by Yitran and implemented within its Differential Code Shift Keying (DCSK) technology. In this algorithm width of the contention window is calculated based on the estimated number of active nodes in the network. Further the performance of the algorithms were evaluated under different saturated throughput conditions and varying number of active nodes, in a fully meshed network. Comparison were also made between the simulated and the polynomial backoff algorithm´s dynamic characteristics. Simulation results show that the algorithm under investigation has an excellent performance under the saturated throughput, although its dynamic characteristic can be further improved.