A novel MAC protocol for mixed traffics in LEO satellite networks

Considering that weak channel collision detection ability, long propagation delay and heavy load in LEO satellite communications, a valid adaptive MAC protocol was proposed. Different access probability functions for different services were obtained and appropriate access probabilities for voice and data users were updated slot by slot based on the estimation of the voice traffic and the channel status. In the proposed MAC protocol limited wireless resource is allocated reasonably by multiple users and high capacity was achieved. Three performance parameters: voice packet loss probability, average delay of data packets and throughput of data packets were considered in simulation. Finally simulation results demonstrated that the performance of system was improved by the proposed MAC protocol, with an acceptable trade-off between QoS of voice and delay of data.