Design and analysis of the multiple access protocols over the CATV/HFC networks

We study the multiple access protocols over the CATV (cable TV)/HFC (hybrid fiber coaxial) networks. The core of the medium access control in such an environment is the multiple access protocol since many subscribers share the same cable (or fiber) for transmissions. We then outline a general form of almost all historical multiple access protocols and reveal some common properties among these miscellaneous algorithms. Based on these observations, we describe the draft protocol (Ternary Tree Collision Resolution Algorithm with Variable Entry Persistence, P-Tree for short) for the IEEE P802.14 and use simulations to depict the dominant factors for designing efficient protocols over CATV/HFC networks.