Service in a Loop System

The statistical behavior of a loop service system is studied. The system consists of a main station, a server and N stations arranged on a loop. Customers arrive at each station according to a random process. The server makes successive tours along the loop bringing customers from the N stations to the main station. Two related measures of the grade of service are considered: the average queue length and the average virtual waiting time at each station. © 1972, ACM. All rights reserved.