Sector-Based Routing with Destination Location Prediction for Underwater Mobile Networks

Abstract

Unlike in terrestrial sensor networks where the locations of destination nodes are often assumed to be fixed and accurately known, such assumptions are usually not valid in underwater sensor networks where the destination nodes tend to be mobile inherently, either due to their self-propelling capability, or due to random motion caused by ocean currents. As a result, many existing location-based routing protocols do not work well in underwater environments. We propose a location-based routing protocol that is designed for mobile underwater acoustic sensor networks, called "sector-based routing with destination location prediction (SBR-DLP)". While the SBR-DLP also assumes that a node knows its own location like many other location-based routing protocols, it predicts the location of the destination node, and therefore, relaxes the need for precise knowledge of the destination's location. Through simulations, the SBR-DLP is shown to enhance the packet delivery ratio significantly when all nodes are mobile.