# Multirate Packet Delivery In Heterogeneous Broadcast Networks

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new analytical framework for multirate packet delivery in heterogeneous broadcast networks, demonstrating that a non-block-based network coding scheme can achieve varying user rates based on link quality.

## Contribution

The paper provides the first theoretical analysis showing that existing network coding schemes can support multirate delivery in heterogeneous networks.

## Key findings

- Maximum throughput achieved by highest-capacity user
- Non-zero delivery rate for all users depending on link capacity
- Analytical results validated by simulations

## Abstract

In this paper, we study the problem of multirate packet delivery in heterogeneous packet erasure broadcast networks. The technical challenge is to enable users receive packets at different rates, as dictated by the quality of their individual channel. We present a new analytical framework for characterizing the delivery rate and delivery delay performance of a previously proposed non-block-based network coding scheme in the literature. This scheme was studied in homogeneous network settings. We show for the first time, via new theoretical analysis and simulations that it can actually achieve multirate packet delivery. Using acknowledgments from each user, we show that the user with the highest link capacity achieves the maximum possible throughput. Also, a non-zero packet delivery rate is possible for other users, and the delivery rate depends on the difference between the packet arrival rate at the sender and the link capacity of each user. The accuracy of our analytical framework is confirmed by comparing the results with simulations for different settings of packet arrival rate at the sender and link capacities.