DRIFS-TDMA: A proposal for a satellite access distributed-control algorithm for multimedia traffic in a faded environment

Most demand assignment time division multiple access (TDMA) satellite access protocols use centralized-control access schemes, rather than distributed ones, because their simplicity and robustness usually compensates for the longer allocation delay. Starting from the fifo ordered demand assignment/information bit energy adapter (FODA/IBEA) centralized-control protocol, we studied two distributed-control protocols, named distributed allocation with request in fixed slots (DRIFS) and faded environments effective distributed engineering redundant signalling (FEEDERS) respectively, for accessing a geostationary satellite channel. Multimedia traffic and faded environments were considered in the study of both access schemes. This paper presents the DRIFS proposal, together with the recovery procedures from critical events, the handling of which is central to the discussion of a distributed satellite access protocol. Probabilities of such events are also estimated. 7copy; 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.