Presented by Jerzy Konorski, Professor
Department of Computer Communications
Gdansk University, Poland

Abstract:
Since the possibility of selfish MAC-layer behavior of wireless terminals (WTs) in self-organizing wireless local-area networks became apparent, game-theoretic solutions combining incentive compatibility with high bandwidth utilization have been sought. Existing studies e.g., of IEEE 802.11 DCF, mostly rely on WTs' unique identities and far-sightedness (fear of punishment or discounting future utilities). In contrast, we model selfish WTs as both secretive (not willing or forced to betray identity) and short-sighted. We first study bandwidth distribution among a set of multihomed WTs. Based on network feedback information (NFI), each WT selects available networks so as to self-optimize a utility derived from received bandwidth. We show how to disincentivize "aggressive" MAC configuration and quantify the role of the speed of NFI generation relative to WTs\u2019 requests for network services. We find that, depending on the traffic requirements and bandwidth sharing schemes, the underlying Bayesian incomplete-information game need not distinctly reduce WTs\u2019 utilities at a symmetrical Bayesian equilibrium. Next, in a single-network setting, we study a contention scheme called session-level bidding and again find the framework of a Bayesian game suitable for analyzing WTs' utilities. We show that at a symmetrical Bayesian equilibrium they strongly depend on the number of WTs playing the game, therefore we also address vulnerabilities arising from WT identity manipulation.

Bio:
Jerzy Konorski received his M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from the Technical University of Gdansk, Poland, in 1976 and his Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Institute of Computer Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, in 1984. He is currently with the Department of Computer Communications, Gdansk University of Technology, where he teaches probability, operational research, and computer network theory and architectures, and conducts research in computer networking, performance evaluation, information systems, data transmission, and distributed systems. He has worked on several of European and U.S. government projects, and authored over 100 papers published in international journals or conference records. Dr. Konorski was co-editor of the proceedings of IFIP International Conference on Personal Wireless Communications (PWC'2000) and Wireless and Mobile Networking Conference (WMNC'2009), and has served on the TPC for a number of international conferences on networking, including MSWiM, AdHocNow, and ICDCN.

His current work focuses on the application of game theory to medium access control in wireless networks and low-level security architectures for the Future Internet.