Investigation of the Use of Frequency-Division Multiple Access for Application with a Mix of User Terminals. Volume III. Multiple-Access Techniques.

摘要

The three major multiple-access techniques are compared for a mix of user types--i.e., differing data rates and capacity quotients. The comparison is made with respect to eight performance criteria that are particularly important for the military environment. A general comparison indicates that frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) performs better than originally believed. A specific test case of 10 accesses with a variety of data rates and capacity quotients is selected for detailed evaluation. The quantitative comparison is based on satellite throughput. The performance of the FDMA system is optimized and evaluated using the computer program SYSCON developed under the other tasks of this study. FDMA is found to offer very nearly as much satellite throughput as the other two multiple-access techniques. Furthermore, FDMA offers the advantages of simplicity, low cost, and compatibility with existing equipment. Based on this example, it is concluded that FDMA can offer substantial advantages as compared to the other techniques. Further, more detailed studies are recommended to fully delineate the region of FDMA superiority. (Author)