Repeated inter-session network coding games with an average cost share pricing mechanism in congested networks

It is important to analyze the efficiency of resource allocation with game theory in congested networks in which the users are selfish. The results are often obtained from a one-shot game, while in reality, the transmission is frequent and occurs more than once. We develop a repeated inter-session network coding game that is based on a novel Average cost share (ACS) pricing mechanism. The users choose repeated transmission rates and transmission modes between network coding and routing to maximize their own payoffs. The Price of anarchy (PoA) is adopted to analyze the efficiency of the resource allocation. Through considering different strategies for the multiusers at the next stage, we find that network coding can improve the efficiency of resource allocation in the congested networks. We discuss trigger strategies that keep players from routing at new stages.