Optimal frame pattern design for a TDMA mobile communication system using a simulated annealing algorithm

Different relative positions of voice and data slots within the frame of a TDMA (time-division multiple access) mobile communication system may result in different system data throughput. The design of the optimal relative position, namely the frame pattern which can achieve maximum data throughput, is described. This design method can be formulated as solving a combinatorial optimization problem. Generally, the global optimal solution of such a problem is hard to find using conventional methods, which may be computationally intractable. A reliable and effective method called a simulated annealing algorithm is applied to obtaining the global optimum. Numerical results reveal that there exist various optimal frame patterns for different ranges of traffic load and the optimal frame pattern can achieve great throughput improvement over a random frame pattern