EE132B-Practice Final UCLA Winter 2017

Problem 1
Consider a system that consists of two stations (denoted as stations A and B) that
communicate messages through a wireless (uplink) access channel to a base station
node C. Assume the stations to share the uplink channel on a TDMA basis, so that
each station is allocated a time slot of 1 msec duration, in a time frame whose duration
is equal to 2 msec. Assume the stations to be continuously busy in the transmission of
messages (during their allocated time slots). The transmission of a message occupies
the full duration of the allocated slot. Assume that 5% of the message bits are
overhead bits; the remainder are user data ("payload") bits. The transmission rate
across the uplink channel is equal to 10 Mbps. The channel bit error rate is equal to
4 105 . Following the transmission of a message, if the message is correctly received
at the base station node, the station would receive (on a separate downlink channel)
a PACK message from the base station within a period of time that is shorter than
1 msec. (and can thus react to it prior to the start of its next allocated time slot). If
such a PACK is not received, due to errors occurring in the reception of the message,
the station will re-transmit the message in its next allocated time slot.

(a) Calculate the average number of times that a station transmits a message until
it is correctly received at the base station.

(b) Calculate the net (i.e., not including overhead) throughput rate across the
uplink communications channel, expressing it in units of bits/sec and mes-
sages/sec. Also calculate the normalized net throughput rate (often identied
as the throughput eciency ratio).

(c) Compute the average head-of-the-line (HOL) delay incurred by a message, as

measured from the time that its rst transmission started to the instant of time
at which its successful transmission is completed.

Hints:

1. We assume the probability of errors occurring in the reception of PACK mes-

sages to be negligible.

2. A message is received in error if at least a single bit in the message is in error.

3. It is noted that delay components that relate to propagation, processing or turn-

around latencies are all embedded in the assumption that the sender will receive
and process a PACK message, if produced, within 1 msec after the transmission
of its message.

Problem 2
(a) Use Dijkstras algorithm, showing all steps, to derive the shortest path tree
rooted at node 1 for the network graph with indicated link weights as shown
below.

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EE132B-Practice Final UCLA Winter 2017

2 6 5
P 5 4 3
1 4

3
3 7
3 12 6

Figure 1: The network graph with indicated link weights

(b) Assume each link to (independently) fail, over a specied period of time, with
probability 0.15. Calculate the probability that the shortest path from node 1
to node 6 stays intact over this period of time.

Problem 3
(a) Consider the following operation across the input buer of a network router.
Packets that arrive to the router across all incoming lines are assumed to follow
the statistics of a Poisson process. The time it takes to process a packet by the
header processor is assumed to be random and to follow an exponential distri-
bution with mean packet processing time equal to m [sec]. Design the system
selecting a router processor that has the lowest acceptable packet processing
rate (i.e., lowest possible value of m1 ), aiming to assure the average number of
packets residing in the input system (in queueing plus in service) to not ex-
ceed 4. The allowable message arrival rate is assumed to be equal to 2000
[packets/sec]. Determine the desired routers packet switching rate (measured
in units of [packets/sec]).
(b) For the system design obtained in (b), determine the waiting (queueing) time
value that is surpassed by only 10% of the served packets (i.e., the 90-percentile
packet waiting time).
(c) Considering the system designed in (b), assume that a ow control operation
should be employed to limit the ow rate of packets admitted into the router
system, so that the average packet waiting time in the input queue is reduced at
least by a factor of 20% from that incurred under the packet arrival rate noted
above. Determine the maximum value of the allowable admitted packet rate.

Problem 4
Consider a multiplexor the multiplexes packets arriving across 10 incoming lines
and are transmitted across a single outgoing communications line. The outgoing line
operates at a date rate of 5 [Mbps]. Messages arrive in a statistically independent
manner across each line, in accordance with a Poisson process, at an arrival rate

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EE132B-Practice Final UCLA Winter 2017

of 120 [messages/sec] per incoming line. Each message contains a random number
of bits, so that the transmission time of a message across the outgoing channel is
an exponentially distributed random variable. The average number of message bits
(including overhead) is equal to 4000 [bits/message]. The system is designed to allow
a maximum of N messages to reside in the system (both waiting and in-service) at
a time. Messages that arrive when the system is in saturation state are blocked and
lost.

(a) (13 points) Calculate the lowest value to be congured for N that will assure
the system to realize a message blocking probability that is not higher than
10%.

(b) (6 points) Under this design, calculate the realized throughput rate measured
in messages/sec and in units of Erlangs.

(c) (6 points) Under this design, in considering all messages admitted to the queue,
calculate the highest value of the average waiting time in the queue experienced
by a message.