Maximum-likelihood decoding and code combining for DS/SSMA slotted ALOHA

This paper considers the combination of multiple copies of a packet to improve the performance of a slotted direct-sequence spread-spectrum multiple-access (DS/SSMA) ALOHA packet radio system with coherent binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) modulation. Both slotted DS/SSMA ALOHA with and without forward error correction (FEC) are considered. For the case with FEC, maximum-likelihood decoding with code combining is used. Code combining allows for the combination of multiple copies of the same packet (which are typically discarded), to obtain a lower code rate for that specific packet, and therefore an improved probability of successful decoding. In both cases, combining multiple copies of the same packet results in a throughput which is an increasing function over a broad range of offered load, so that the system is more reliable from the point of view of stability. In addition, combining provides a higher throughput and a smaller time delay for packet transmission. This is illustrated by means of analytical and simulation results.