Seek and Decode: Random Multiple Access with Multiuser Detection and Physical-Layer Network Coding

We present a novel random multiple access scheme that combines joint multiuser detection (MUD) with physical layer network coding (PLNC) over extended Galois fields (EGF). We derive an analytical bound on the throughput at the system level and present simulation results for the decoding at the physical level in both fast fading and block fading channels. We adopt a cross layer approach in which a non-binary joint multiuser decoder is used in combination with PLNC at slot level, while the use of EGF aims at increasing the system diversity at frame level. The results we present are encouraging and suggest that the combination of these two interference management techniques can significantly enhance the performance of random multiple access systems.