  We consider the multiple-access communication problem in a distributed
setting for both the additive white Gaussian noise channel and the discrete
memoryless channel. We propose a scheme called Distributed Rate Splitting to
achieve the optimal rates allowed by information theory in a distributed
manner. In this scheme, each real user creates a number of virtual users via a
power/rate splitting mechanism in the M-user Gaussian channel or via a random
switching mechanism in the M-user discrete memoryless channel. At the receiver,
all virtual users are successively decoded. Compared with other multiple-access
techniques, Distributed Rate Splitting can be implemented with lower complexity
and less coordination. Furthermore, in a symmetric setting, we show that the
rate tuple achieved by this scheme converges to the maximum equal rate point
allowed by the information-theoretic bound as the number of virtual users per
real user tends to infinity. When the capacity regions are asymmetric, we show
that a point on the dominant face can be achieved asymptotically. Finally, when
there is an unequal number of virtual users per real user, we show that
differential user rate requirements can be accommodated in a distributed
fashion.
