Location aided broadcast in wireless ad hoc networks

Abstract

Building efficient ad hoc networks for wireless communications is challenging due to the dynamic nature of the hosts. Broadcast service in ad hoc networks is critical in supporting various applications and protocols. However, excessive redundant retransmissions of traditional broadcast protocols in mobile wireless ad hoc networks have caused the infamous "broadcast storm problem." Various broadcast protocols have been proposed to alleviate the broadcast storm problem. We identify two primary design issues, namely defer time generation and redundant message classification, for all these protocols. We propose a distance-based defer time scheme for the first issue and an angle-based scheme for the second issue. The two schemes together result in a broadcast protocol that enjoys flooding's high reachability and non-flooding schemes' bandwidth efficiency.