Using game theory to investigate stochastic channel selection for multi-channel MAC protocol

It is obvious that using multi-channel MAC protocol can improve the capacity of ad-hoc networks. At the same time, it also is clear that the strategy for selecting channel can affect to increase the capacity. Therefore, the channel-selection strategy is one of the important issues for the multi-channel MAC protocol in ad-hoc networks. Selecting the channel stochastically is a basic strategy in multi-channel MAC protocol using single interface, because wireless nodes cannot hear communication taking place on a different channel. In this paper, we propose a multi-channel MAC protocol using single interface. Then, we consider two kinds of categories of stochastic channel-selection strategies for the multi-channel MAC protocol using single interface. One category consists of strategies that select a new channel from all available channels. The other category is the set of strategies that select a new channel from all available channels except the active channel. By using game theory, we investigate and show that wireless node using these two categories can operate the stable point if a new channel is selected with equal probability. Furthermore, we argue that the higher expected payoff can be obtained if a new channel is selected other than the active channel. By computer simulation, we show that our assertion is effective.