Transmission scheduling in capture-based wireless networks

We study a multiple-source, single-destination wireless network that uses scheduled access as the channel-access method. Unlike many other studies of scheduled access, which are based on the use of a collision channel, we use a physical channel model that includes other-user interference, fading, and background noise. Our primary performance measure is throughput, which is the average number of packets that are successfully received by the destination per time slot. We develop algorithms for constructing transmission schedules, which exploit the power-capture capability of the network to enable the successful reception of multiple packets simultaneously. The results show the impact of schedule, channel fading, receiver noise, and interference on network performance. Our algorithms provide better performance than TDMA-based algorithms that do not take advantage of the power-capture capability of the network.