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Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.

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Main Author: Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich
Other Authors: Du Preez, J. A.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich
author2 Du Preez, J. A.
author_browse Du Preez, J. A.
Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich
author_facet Du Preez, J. A.
Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich
author_sort Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/100321
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:06.958Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/100321 Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich Du Preez, J. A. Wolhuter, R. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Graphical modeling (Statistics) Probabilistic database systems Wireless personal area networks UCTD Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2016. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Probabilistic Graphical Models (PGMs) have proven to be a powerful and effective tool for predicting the behaviour of probabilistic systems. Their applicability for improving the performance of wireless networks, where most strategies are probabilistically founded, is therefore worth exploring. PGMs can infer states and conditions within the network and allow protocols to act accordingly. However, as this implies decision-making under uncertainty, investigating the application of PGMs for this purpose would have merit. In this work, we create an effective method for making decisions under uncertainty by expanding the current theory of strong junction trees to allow for loopy decision cluster graphs. However, similarly to the behaviour of loopy cluster graphs, this method also leads to imprecise probabilities and utilities, and sub-optimal decision strategies. We created 3 PGM-augmented Round Robin Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols by using different PGMs to determine which slave node the master node should poll next. This resulted in reduced latency for packets during unequal traffic loads. Furthermore, we created a PGM-augmented Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) MAC protocol by using a PGM in order to estimate the number of contending nodes and allowing the node to change the length of its contention window accordingly. This resulted in an efficient and fair network protocol irrespective of the number of nodes in the network. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Probabilistiese Grafiese Modelle (PGM’e) het reeds bewys dat dit ‘n kragtige en doeltreffende manier bied om die gedrag van probabilistiese stelsels te voorspel. Dit blyk dus aantreklik om hul toepassing in radionetwerke, waar strategië probabilisites van aard is, te ondersoek. PGM’e kan die toestande en omstandighede van die netwerk afskat en protokolle kan daarvolgens optree. Aangesien dit egter impliseer dat daar besluite tydens onsekerheid geneem moet word, is die ondersoek om PGM’e te gebruik vir hierdie doel ook van belang. In hierdie werk skep ons ‘n effektiewe metode om besluite tydens onsekerheid te neem deur die huidige teorie van sterk aansluitingsbome uit te brei om beslissingkluster- grafieke met lusse moontlik te maak. Soortgelyk aan kluster-grafieke, lewer hierdie metode egter onakkurate waarskynlikhede, nut-waardes en sub-optimale beslissing-strategië. Ons het 3 PGM-uitgebreide ‘Round Robin’ medium toegangsbeheer-protokolle geskep deur verskillende PGM’e te gebruik om te bepaal watter slaaf-node die meester-node volgende moet ondervra. Hierdie lei tot verkorte transmissievertragings van pakkies tydens ongelyke netwerkladings. Verder het ons ‘n PGM-uitgebreide ‘CSMA/CA’ medium toegangsbeheer-protokol geskep deur ‘n PGM te gebruik om af te skat hoeveel nodusse aan die kontensie wil deelneem en die lengte van die kontensie-venster daarvolgens aan te pas. Hierdie lei tot ‘n meer doeltreffende en billike netwerk, ongeag die aantal nodusse in die netwerk. 2016-12-22T13:40:12Z 2016-12-22T13:40:12Z 2016-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/100321 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xi, 98 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Graphical modeling (Statistics)
Probabilistic database systems
Wireless personal area networks
UCTD
Pretorius, William Sivert Rorich
Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
title Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
title_full Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
title_fullStr Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
title_full_unstemmed Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
title_short Investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
title_sort investigating performance improvements in wireless networks using probabilistic graphical models
topic Graphical modeling (Statistics)
Probabilistic database systems
Wireless personal area networks
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/100321
work_keys_str_mv AT pretoriuswilliamsivertrorich investigatingperformanceimprovementsinwirelessnetworksusingprobabilisticgraphicalmodels