EE132B-HW Set #3

UCLA 2014 Fall

Prof. Izhak Rubin

Problem 1
Consider a broadcasting bus system as shown in Figure 1. Attaching to the bus
are N stations, and they share the channel under pure ALOHA scheme. Suppose
that the transmission rate is R (bits/sec), and the message size is M bits. Neglect
the effect of propagation delay.
Statin i
1

i+1

Broadcasting Bus

Figure 1: A broadcasting bus system with N statoins

(a) How long does it take to transmit a single message?
(b) Let Ti denote the idle time for station i. Suppose that Ti is exponentially
distributed with parameter i , and {Ti | i = 1, 2, . . . , N } is a set of independent
random variables. Let T denote the idle time for the broadcast channel. Note
that the channel is idle when every station is idle. What is the distribution
function for T (i.e., P (T t))?
(c) Suppose that the channel is idle and station i initiates a message transmission
at time 0. What is the collision probability for this message transmission?

Problem 2
Consider a slotted token ring system with N stations. The token travels in the
counter clockwise direction as shown in Figure 2. In this polling system, a busy
station will capture the token and hold it for the duration of its frame transmission.
It then releases the token and makes it available for capture by the neighboring
station along the ring network. Assume for our analysis that each station holds
the token for a random period of time. Let Hi denote the token holding time of
station i (measured in units of slots). Assume that {Hi | i = 1, 2, . . . , N } is a set
of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random variables. We also assume
that Hi is governed by a geometric distribution with parameter 1 p such that
P (Hi = n) = p(1 p)n , n = 0, 1, . . . . Note that p represents the probability that
station i releases the token at the end of a time slot.
(a) Neglect the propagation delay in the system. Suppose that station 1 receives
the token at the start of time slot 0. Calculate the probability that station 3
receives the token at the start of slot k. Note that k can be equal to 0, since
1

EE132B-HW Set #3

UCLA 2014 Fall

Prof. Izhak Rubin

Station 1

Station
1
2
3

Random holding time

Token ring
direction

H1
H2
H3

Station N

Station 2

Station j

Station 3

HN

Figure 2: The slotted token ring network with example of four stations
we neglect the propagation delay as well as assume (as an approximation) that
a non-busy station will hold the token for negligible period of time that is set
here equal to 0.
(b) The probability that station 1 will receive the token again at the start of slot k.
(Hint: The sum of i.i.d. Geometric random variables with parameter p follows
a negative binomial distribution with parameter (r, p).)
(c) Suppose that the propagation delay from any station to its adjacent station is
slots. What is the throughput rate of this system? (HINT: Consider a cycle
period (occurring between successive visits of the token to the same station).
Calculate the throughput rate as the ratio between the average amount of "work"
performed by stations during a cycle to the average duration of the cycle. A
station is said to perform "work" when it holds the token; its amount of "work"
is set equal to the time that it holds the token.)

Problem 3
(a) In a few words, describe the most significant difference between circuit-switching
and packet-switching systems. Is email system a circuit-switching or a packetswitching system?
(b) Outline the key differences between datagram and virtual-circuit switching systems.
(c) Consider the following situations in conjunction with multiple access schemes.
Which multiple access scheme is typically employed in each situation?
(i) You are waiting at an intersection with 4-way stop sign.
(ii) You present your research work at a small conference where you raise your
hand before you speak.
(iii) You let your child use your car every Saturday night.
(iv) You are trying to take the elevator in ENGINEERING IV Bldg.
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EE132B-HW Set #3

UCLA 2014 Fall

Input Port
Line NO.
1
3
4
3
2
4
1
2

Slot NO.
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1

Output Port
Line NO.
3
2
3
4
4
2
1
1

Prof. Izhak Rubin

Slot NO.
1
1
2
1
2
2
1
2

Table 1: Routing table

Problem 4
A

C
D
E

1
2
3
4

4 by 4
switch

1
2
3
4

K
L
M

Time-division multiplexer

Figure 3: A switching network

Consider a switching network illustrated in the Figure 3. Suppose that this network is a circuit switching system. Also assume that this network is a one-directional
system (i.e., the users on the left hand can only send and the users on the right can
only receive). The users are identified by indices A, B, . . . , P , and the lines are number as 1, 2, 3, 4. The switch is a 4 by 4 switch. Each input port of the switch receives
the output of a time-division multiplexer which produces two slots per frame. For
example, at Line 1 on the transmitting terminals side, User A is assigned slot 1 and
user B is assigned slot 2. Assume that the user on the top is always assigned slot 1.
During busy hours, the routing table for the switch is set in Table 1.
(a) Let (X, Y ) denote that user X is connected to user Y . List all the connections
in the system based on the routing Table 1.
(b) If Lines 2 and 4 on the transmitting side fail, and Line 1 on the receiving side
fails, which connection(s) survive(s)?
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EE132B-HW Set #3

UCLA 2014 Fall

Prof. Izhak Rubin

(c) Suppose that we only have connections (A, O), (D, P ), (G, N ), (H, I), and (E, M ).
Make a new routing table.
(d) Suppose that the service provided is the transmission of stereo digital audio
signals which is sampled at 22.4 kHz. These samples are quantized to 256
levels. What is the minimum transmission rate (bits/sec) for the time-division
multiplexer?