Fast opportunistic distributed resource reallocation for established connections in a multihop network

摘要

A multihop network and nodes are described herein that implement a reactive routing protocol that enables resources of the multihop network to be continuously adapted in a distributed/opportunistic manner in response to a topology change within the multihop network so as to optimize the performance of a connection between a source node and a destination node. The types of resources that can be adapted include for example: (1) a route; (2) a channel; and/or (3) physical layer parameters. The different types of topology changes that can occur include: (1) movement of a node; (2) quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node; (3) changes in traffic patterns in the multihop network; (4) changes in transmit patterns (e.g., power, beamforming direction) in the multihop network; and (5) changes in resource allocations in the multihop network.

主权项

1. A multihop network, comprising:
a source node; a neighboring node; an active node; and a destination node; wherein the neighboring node is within reach of the source node, the active node and the destination node; wherein the multihop network has a topology; wherein the active node is located in a connection between the source node and the destination node and is capable of receiving from another active node and transmitting to the neighboring node a beacon containing a measure of performance for the connection between the source node and the destination node, wherein the measure of performance contained in the beacon is related to a change of the topology of the multihop network, and wherein the change of the topology includes one or more of the following: quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node, which quality variations comprises channel fading; changes in transmit patterns of data traffic in the multihop network; or changes in allocations of a network resource in the multihop network; wherein nodes implement a reactive routing protocol where the network resource of the multihop network is adapted in a distributed manner by the neighboring node or the active node in response to the change of the topology in the multihop network to optimize performance of the connection between the source node and the destination node; wherein the change of the topology is determined to have occurred based on the measure of performance contained in the beacon; wherein the distributed manner provides one resource adaptation at a time; wherein the network resource includes one or more of the following:
the channel; orphysical layer parameters; and wherein the connection between the source node and the destination node is defined through the channel.