Independent Stations Algorithm for the Maximization of One-Step Throughput in a Multiaccess Channel

In the class of multiple-access schemes utilizing channel feedback information, one has generally to face a multistep control problem. In order to simplify the structure of the access strategies, a single-step horizon can be considered, so that the goal becomes the maximization of the probability of transmission at each slot. However, even in this case the optimal solution turns out to be intractable for a large number of stations. To avoid this intractability some simplifying assumptions can be made at the price of a certain degree of suboptimality. Our approach is based on an independence assumption and yields a scheme which can be termed an independent stations approach (ISA).