Distributed Capacity of A Multiple Access Channel

TL;DR

This paper defines and derives the distributed capacity of a discrete-time memoryless multiple access channel, providing improved error bounds for finite codeword lengths in distributed communication systems.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of distributed capacity for multiple access channels and extends existing theorems with better error bounds for finite codeword lengths.

Findings

Distributed capacity is formally defined and derived.

An improved error performance bound for finite codeword lengths is presented.

The results extend distributed channel coding theorems in the literature.

Abstract

In distributed communication, each transmitter prepares an ensemble of channel codes. To encode a message, a transmitter chooses a channel code individually without sharing the coding choice with other transmitters or with the receiver. Upon receiving the block of channel output symbols, the receiver either decodes the messages of interest if a pre-determined reliability requirement can be met, or reports collision otherwise. Revised from the distributed channel coding theorems in the literature, distributed capacity of a discrete-time memoryless multiple access channel is defined and derived under the assumption that codeword length can be taken to infinity. An improved achievable error performance bound is presented for the case when codeword length is finite.