Throughput/Reliability Tradeoffs in Spread Spectrum Multi-Hop Ad-Hoc Wireless Networks with Multi-Packet Detection

Wireless ad hoc networks with nodes capable of simultaneous multiple packet reception are considered. We focus on spread spectrum networks and address the relationship between the packet detection success, probability of the packet success over multiple hops, and asymptotic throughput capacity of the network in terms of power and bandwidth resources as well as the multi-packet detection capability of the nodes. In the second part of the paper we consider network with nodes employing partitioned code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission and joint iterative reception. We study local communication in the network and derive a relationship between the probability of detection success and a fraction of the multiple access channel capacity that can be achieved at any communicating node. We use this result to demonstrate that near optimum throughput and reliable end-to-end communication can be achieved in the network with use of a practical detection method. Finally, we present simulation results which demonstrate the advantage of partitioned CDMA with iterative receivers over CDMA with linear receivers in a network setting.