Point Processes for Interference Modeling in CSMA/CA Ad-Hoc Networks

Abstract : As interference results from the summation of signals issued by concurrent transmitters, it directly depends on the transmitters location. The point process used to model concurrent transmitters location is thus fundamental in any multi-hop wireless network study. In this paper, we investigate original processes that comply with the CSMA/CA policies. We propose the use of the Simple Sequential Inhibition point process to model CSMA/CA networks where carrier detection depends on the strongest emitter only. We then extend this point process to a family of new point processes modeling a busy medium detection based on the strength of all concurrent signals. We study the impact of these different processes on the interference distribution and show that the results are very different with respect to the different point process. We finally show that the use of a Poisson process is generally inaccurate to model CSMA/CA networks.