An adaptive RTS threshold adjust algorithm based on minimum energy consumption in IEEE 802.11 DCF

The IEEE 802.11 media accesss control (MAC) protocol provides shared access to a wireless channel. Its primary MAC technique is called distributed coordination function (DCF) that includes two packet transmission schemes, namely, the basic access and the RTS/CTS access mechanisms. In a "hybrid" network combining the two schemes, packets longer than a given threshold (RTS threshold) are transmitted according to the RTS/CTS mechanism. The effect on average energy consumption per packet of RTS threshold is analyzed in the assumption of idea channel and network saturated condition. Further analysis shows there is an optimum RTS threshold that can get minimum average energy consumption in a given network. Based on these analyses, we proposed an adaptive RTS threshold adjust algorithms that is effective and easily employed, with which a station can adjust its RTS threshold to adapt for variant circumstances automatically.