Ez-Channel: A distributed MAC protocol for efficient channelization in wireless networks

Abstract There is a significant interest in new wireless multiple access protocols that adaptively split a wide frequency channel into multiple sub-channels - perhaps of varying widths - and assign these sub-channels to competing transmissions. Existing protocols suffer from various limitations such as considerable protocol overhead, dependence on a centralized controller, and use of fixed-size channels. We introduce Ez-Channel, a novel MAC protocol that parsimoniously utilizes the OFDM sub-carriers to perform channelization and assignment of sub-channels to competing links. In addition to circumventing hidden and exposed terminal problems, Ez-Channel adapts channel assignments to the network topology. To eliminate the need for a centralized controller and to avoid an overwhelming amount of information exchange, the protocol uses a randomization technique enabling provably efficient localized decision making. Our extensive analytical and simulation studies show that Ez-Channel yields significant throughput improvements as compared to the state-of-the-art protocols.