Acknowledged broadcasting in ad hoc radio networks

We consider ad hoc radio networks in which each node knows only its own identity but is unaware of the topology of the network, or of any bound on its size or diameter. Acknowledged broadcasting (AB) is a communication task consisting in transmitting a message from a distinguished source to all other nodes of the network and making this fact common knowledge among all nodes. To do this, the underlying directed graph must be strongly connected. Working in a model allowing all nodes to transmit spontaneously even before getting the source message, Chlebus et al. [B. Chlebus, L. Ga?sieniec, A. Gibbons, A. Pelc, W. Rytter, Deterministic broadcasting in unknown radio networks, Distrib. Comput. 15 (2002) 27-38] proved that AB is impossible, if collision detection is not available, and gave an AB algorithm using collision detection that works in time O(nD) where n is the number of nodes and D is the eccentricity of the source. Uchida et al. [J. Uchida, W. Chen, K. Wada, Acknowledged broadcasting and gossiping in ad hoc radio networks, Theoret. Comput. Sci. 377 (2007) 43-54] showed an AB algorithm without collision detection working in time O(n4/3log10/3n) for all strongly connected networks of size at least 2. In particular, it follows that the impossibility result from [B. Chlebus, L. Ga?sieniec, A. Gibbons, A. Pelc, W. Rytter, Deterministic broadcasting in unknown radio networks, Distrib. Comput. 15 (2002) 27-38] is really caused by the singleton network for which AB amounts to realize that the source is alone. We improve those two results by presenting two generic AB algorithms using a broadcasting algorithm without acknowledgement, as a procedure. For a large class of broadcasting algorithms the resulting AB algorithm has the same time complexity. Using the currently best known broadcasting algorithms, we obtain an AB algorithm with collision detection working in time O(min{nlog²D,nlognloglogn}), for arbitrary strongly connected networks, and an AB algorithm without collision detection working in time O(nlognloglogn) for all strongly connected networks of size n?2. Moreover, we show that in the model in which only nodes that already got the source message can transmit, AB is infeasible in a strong sense: for any AB algorithm there exists an infinite family of networks for which this algorithm is incorrect.     

Broadcasting in undirected ad hoc radio networks

We consider distributed broadcasting in radio networks, modeled as undirected graphs, whose nodes have no information on the topology of the network, nor even on their immediate neighborhood. For randomized broadcasting, we give an algorithm working in expected time in n-node radio networks of diameter D, which is optimal, as it matches the lower bounds of Alon et al. [1] and Kushilevitz and Mansour [16]. Our algorithm improves the best previously known randomized broadcasting algorithm of Bar-Yehuda, Goldreich and Itai [3], running in expected time . (In fact, our result holds also in the setting of n-node directed radio networks of radius D.) For deterministic broadcasting, we show the lower bound on broadcasting time in n-node radio networks of diameter D. This implies previously known lower bounds of Bar-Yehuda, Goldreich and Itai [3] and Bruschi and Del Pinto [5], and is sharper than any of them in many cases. We also give an algorithm working in time , thus shrinking - for the first time - the gap between the upper and the lower bound on deterministic broadcasting time to a logarithmic factor. Received: 1 August 2003, Accepted: 18 March 2005, Published online: 15 June 2005 Dariusz R. Kowalski: This work was done during the stay of Dariusz Kowalski at the Research Chair in Distributed Computing of the Université du Québec en Outaouais, as a postdoctoral fellow. Research supported in part by KBN grant 4T11C04425. Andrzej Pelc: Research of Andrzej Pelc was supported in part by NSERC discovery grant and by the Research Chair in Distributed Computing of the Université du Québec en Outaouais.     

Fast deterministic broadcast and gossiping algorithms for mobile ad hoc networks

We present a mobility resilient deterministic broadcast algorithm with worst-case time complexity of O(nlogn)$O(nlogn)$ for ad hoc networks where the nodes possess collision detection capabilities; n$n$ is the total number of nodes in the network. The algorithm is based on a breadth-first traversal of the network and allows multiple simultaneous transmissions by the nodes. The idea of this broadcast algorithm is then extended to develop a mobility resilient deterministic gossiping algorithm having O(Dnlogn)$O(Dnlogn)$ worst-case run time (D$D$ is the diameter of the network graph), which is an improvement over the existing algorithms. Simulation results show that on an average, the time for completing the broadcast or gossiping is significantly lower than the theoretical worst-case time requirement.     

Deterministic broadcasting in ad hoc radio networks

We consider the problem of distributed deterministic broadcasting in radio networks of unknown topology and size. The network is synchronous. If a node u can be reached from two nodes which send messages in the same round, none of the messages is received by u. Such messages block each other and node u either hears the noise of interference of messages, enabling it to detect a collision, or does not hear anything at all, depending on the model. We assume that nodes know neither the topology nor the size of the network, nor even their immediate neighborhood. The initial knowledge of every node is limited to its own label. Such networks are called ad hoc multi-hop networks. We study the time of deterministic broadcasting under this scenario. For the model without collision detection, we develop a linear-time broadcasting algorithm for symmetric graphs, which is optimal, and an algorithm for arbitrary n-node graphs, working in time . Next we show that broadcasting with acknowledgement is not possible in this model at all. For the model with collision detection, we develop efficient algorithms for broadcasting and for acknowledged broadcasting in strongly connected graphs. Received: January 2000 / Accepted: June 2001     

Activating anonymous ad hoc radio networks

We consider the task of activating an anonymous ad hoc radio network from a single source, by a deterministic algorithm. In the beginning only the source is active and has to activate other nodes by disseminating messages throughout the network. Nodes of the network do not know its topology and they do not have distinct labels. In such networks some nodes are impossible to reach. A node in a network is accessible if it can be activated by some (possibly network-dependent) deterministic algorithm. We show that the problem of recognizing whether a given node of an anonymous radio network is accessible, can be solved in polynomial time for the synchronous scenario. A deterministic wake-up algorithm for ad hoc networks is universal if it activates all accessible nodes in all networks. We study the question of the existence of such a universal activating algorithm. For synchronous communication we design a universal activating algorithm, and for asynchronous communication we show that no such algorithm exists. Research partially supported by NSERC discovery grant and by the Research Chair in Distributed Computing at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. A preliminary version of this paper (with title “Waking up anonymous ad hoc radio networks”) appeared in the Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2005), September 2005, Cracow, Poland.     

Adaptive initialization algorithm for ad hoc radio networks with carrier sensing

We propose an algorithm for coordinating access to a shared broadcast channel in an ad hoc network of unknown size n$n$. We reduce the runtime necessary to self-organize access to the channel over the previous algorithm of Cai, Lu and Wang. The runtime of that algorithm is O(n)$O\left(n\right)$. The goal of our work is to improve the constant factor in this estimation. Apart from the experimental evidence of algorithm quality, we provide a rigorous probabilistic analysis of its behavior.     

Faster communication in known topology radio networks

This paper concerns the communication primitives of broadcasting (one-to-all communication) and gossiping (all-to-all communication) in known topology radio networks, i.e., where for each primitive the schedule of transmissions is precomputed in advance based on full knowledge about the size and the topology of the network. The first part of the paper examines the two communication primitives in arbitrary graphs. In particular, for the broadcast task we deliver two new results: a deterministic efficient algorithm for computing a radio schedule of length D + O(log³ n), and a randomized algorithm for computing a radio schedule of length D + O(log² n). These results improve on the best currently known D + O(log⁴ n) time schedule due to Elkin and Kortsarz (Proceedings of the 16th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, pp. 222–231, 2005). Later we propose a new (efficiently computable) deterministic schedule that uses 2D + Δlog n + O(log³ n) time units to complete the gossiping task in any radio network with size n, diameter D and max-degree Δ. Our new schedule improves and simplifies the currently best known gossiping schedule, requiring time , for any network with the diameter D = Ω(log ⁱ⁺⁴ n), where i is an arbitrary integer constant i ≥ 0, see Gąsieniec et al. (Proceedings of the 11th International Colloquium on Structural Information and Communication Complexity, vol. 3104, pp. 173–184, 2004). The second part of the paper focuses on radio communication in planar graphs, devising a new broadcasting schedule using fewer than 3D time slots. This result improves, for small values of D, on the currently best known D + O(log³ n) time schedule proposed by Elkin and Kortsarz (Proceedings of the 16th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, pp. 222–231, 2005). Our new algorithm should be also seen as a separation result between planar and general graphs with small diameter due to the polylogarithmic inapproximability result for general graphs by Elkin and Kortsarz (Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems, vol. 3122, pp. 105–116, 2004; J. Algorithms 52(1), 8–25, 2004). The second author is supported in part by a grant from the Israel Science Foundation and by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Part of this research was performed while this author (Q. Xin) was a PhD student at The University of Liverpool.     

The cost of probabilistic agreement in oblivious robot networks

In this paper, we look at the time complexity of two agreement problems in networks of oblivious mobile robots, namely, at the gathering and scattering problems. Given a set of robots with arbitrary initial locations and no initial agreement on a global coordinate system, gathering requires that all robots reach the exact same but not predetermined location. In contrast, scattering requires that no two robots share the same location. These two abstractions are fundamental coordination problems in cooperative mobile robotics. Oblivious solutions are appealing for self-stabilization since they are self-stabilizing at no extra cost. As neither gathering nor scattering can be solved deterministically under arbitrary schedulers, probabilistic solutions have been proposed recently.The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, we propose a detailed time complexity analysis of a modified probabilistic gathering algorithm. Using Markov chains tools and additional assumptions on the environment, we prove that the convergence time of gathering can be reduced from O(n²) (the best known bound) to O(1) or , depending on the model of multiplicity detection. Second, using the same technique, we prove that scattering can also be achieved in fault-free systems with the same bounds.     

Distributed reformation of core-based group-shared multicast trees in mobile ad hoc networks

This paper proposes a method to reduce the cost of a core-based group-shared multicast tree, where the cost is evaluated by the total bandwidth consumption of multicasting packets among all group members. Due to the broadcast nature of radio transmissions, we find that the challenge of determining minimum cost multicast tree can be approximated by finding the multicast tree with a minimum number of non-leaves (the minimum non-leaf multicast tree problem). However, we also find that the minimum non-leaf multicast tree problem is NP-complete. Thus, a method is proposed to dynamically reduce the number of non-leaves in an existing multicast tree. Experimental results show that our method reduces the cost of the multicast tree in both geometrically and randomly distributed network models and the random waypoint mobility model.     

A fault tolerant mutual exclusion algorithm for mobile ad hoc networks

In this paper, we propose a permission-based message efficient mutual exclusion (MUTEX) algorithm for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). To reduce messages cost, the algorithm uses the “look-ahead” technique, which enforces MUTEX only among the hosts currently competing for the critical section. We propose mechanisms to handle dozes and disconnections of mobile hosts. The assumption of FIFO channel in the original “look-ahead” technique is also relaxed. The proposed algorithm can also tolerate link or host failures, using timeout-based mechanisms. Both analytical and simulation results show that the proposed algorithm works well under various conditions, especially when the mobility is high or load level is low. To our knowledge, this is the first permission-based MUTEX algorithm for MANETs.     

Lower bounds for the broadcast problem in mobile radio networks

Summary.  In this paper, we prove a lower bound on the number of rounds required by a deterministic distributed protocol for broadcasting a message in radio networks whose processors do not know the identities of their neighbors. Such an assumption captures the main characteristic of mobile and wireless environments [3], i.e., the instability of the network topology. For any distributed broadcast protocol Π, for any n and for any D≦n/2, we exhibit a network G with n nodes and diameter D such that the number of rounds needed by Π for broadcasting a message in G is Ω(D log n). The result still holds even if the processors in the network use a different program and know n and D. We also consider the version of the broadcast problem in which an arbitrary number of processors issue at the same time an identical message that has to be delivered to the other processors. In such a case we prove that, even assuming that the processors know the network topology, Ω(n) rounds are required for solving the problem on a complete network (D=1) with n processors. Received: August 1994 / Accepted: August 1996     

Fast leader election in anonymous rings with bounded expected delay

We propose a probabilistic network model, called asynchronous bounded expected delay (ABE), which requires a known bound on the expected message delay. In ABE networks all asynchronous executions are possible, but executions with extremely long delays are less probable. Thus, the ABE model captures asynchrony that occurs in sensor networks and ad-hoc networks.At the example of an election algorithm, we show that the minimal assumptions of ABE networks are sufficient for the development of efficient algorithms. For anonymous, unidirectional ABE rings of known size n we devise a probabilistic election algorithm having average message and time complexity O(n).     

A distributed fault identification protocol for wireless and mobile ad hoc networks

This paper considers the problem of self-diagnosis of wireless and mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) using the comparison approach. In this approach, a network (MANET) consists of a collection of n   independent heterogeneous mobile or stationary hosts interconnected via wireless links, and it is assumed that at most σ$\sigma$ of these hosts are faulty. In order to diagnose the state of the MANET, tasks are assigned to pairs of hosts and the outcomes of these tasks are compared. The agreements and disagreements between the hosts are the basis for identifying the faulty ones. The comparison approach is believed to be one of the most practical fault identification approaches for diagnosing hard and soft faults. We develop a new distributed self-diagnosis protocol, called Dynamic-DSDP, for MANETs that identifies both hard and soft faults in a finite amount of time. The protocol is constructed on top of a reliable multi-hop architecture. Correctness and complexity proofs are provided and they show that our Dynamic-DSDP performs better, from a communication complexity viewpoint, than the existing protocols. We have also developed a simulator, that is scalable to a large number of nodes. Using the simulator, we carried out a simulation study to analyze the effectiveness of the self-diagnosis protocol and its performance with regards to the number of faulty hosts. The simulation results show that the proposed approach is an attractive and viable alternative or addition to present fault diagnosis techniques in MANET environments.     

An adaptive and opportunistic broadcast protocol for vehicular ad hoc networks

A primary goal of broadcasting in vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is to improve the road safety by transmitting alert messages to all surrounding vehicles as soon as possible. In this paper, we adopt the concept of opportunistic routing and propose a multiple candidate relays opportunistic broadcast (MCROB) protocol for VANET. The MCROB protocol is a sender-driven broadcast scheme independent of node density. The packet delivery ratio (PDR) is derived and an expected transmission speed (ETS) for the MCROB is proposed. A priority rule for selecting a proper candidate relay and an adaptive algorithm for forwarding timers of candidate relays are also presented in this paper. Simulations show that MCROB is adaptive to the rapid changing of network conditions. It keeps a low communication overhead introduced by the broadcast and increases the average transmission speed by around 40%.     

On the complexity of bandwidth allocation in radio networks

We define and study an optimization problem that is motivated by bandwidth allocation in radio networks. Because radio transmissions are subject to interference constraints in radio networks, physical space is a common resource that the nodes have to share in such a way, that concurrent transmissions do not interfere. The bandwidth allocation problem we study under these constraints is the following. Given bandwidth (traffic) demands between the nodes of the network, the objective is to schedule the radio transmissions in such a way that the traffic demands are satisfied. The problem is similar to a multicommodity flow problem, where the capacity constraints are replaced by the more complex notion of non-interfering transmissions. We provide a formal specification of the problem that we call round weighting  . By modeling non-interfering radio transmissions as independent sets, we relate the complexity of round weighting to the complexity of various independent set problems (e.g. maximum weight independent set, vertex coloring, fractional coloring). From this relation, we deduce that in general, round weighting is hard to approximate within n^1−ε$n^{1-\epsilon }$ (n$n$ being the size of the radio network). We also provide polynomial (exact or approximation) algorithms e.g. in the following two cases: (a) when the interference constraints are specific (for instance for a network whose vertices belong to the Euclidean space), or (b) when the traffic demands are directed towards a unique node in the network (also called gathering, analogous to single commodity flow).     

An election algorithm to ensure the high availability of leader in large mobile ad hoc networks

A fundamental problem of distributed systems, leader election, is presented in the context of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). In many distributed systems, the presence of a leader is necessary in order to monitor underlying computations, guarantee quality functioning, take checkpoints, generate the lost token, detect quiescence conditions, etc. Hence, several leader election algorithms have been proposed in the literature. Although, most of the algorithms focus on reducing the control message (messages that have the highest priority to deliver) count, there have been almost no attention on ensuring high availability of a leader despite various types of failures, especially, in the scenarios like rescue and warfare, where the absence of the leader, even for a short duration, may lead to havoc. We focus on this issue, particularly, for large MANETs, where a large number of applications fails to perform in the absence of a leader. We present a leader election algorithm for large MANETs. The algorithm is inspired by the concept of prevailing parliamentary democracy and elects three best-nodes – in terms of performance parameters like battery life, computing power, memory, hop distance, and mobility – as the president, leader, and vice leader. The president node works as the leader of the network, in case, the leader and the vice leader both become unavailable simultaneously. On the other hand, the leader node serves all the requests. Further, we create a house of elite nodes, which ensures the presence of an executive, i.e. a leader during re-election to restrict the message overhead as well as the election latency while executing coordination related activities.     

On scheduling and clustering in hierarchical TH-PPM UWB wireless ad hoc networks

Ultra wideband (UWB) systems are considered as the key wireless infrastructure platforms for efficient short-range communications. In particular, the UWB based mobile computing systems are envisioned to be attractive solutions to various ad hoc networking applications. However, due to UWB’s unique physical characteristics, the traditional resource management schemes for ad hoc networks cannot be applied to UWB based systems directly. In this paper, we consider the bandwidth scheduling problem in a UWB based hierarchical wireless ad hoc network, which is typically used in an enterprise-scale mobile computing environment. Based on the mathematical analysis and the computer simulations, it is demonstrated that our proposed scheduling scheme exhibits close-to-optimal performance governed by the proportional fairness (PF) constraint. Moreover, a novel self-organized clustering method is designed to improve the system throughput while meeting the PF constraint. Simulation results suggest that the proposed clustering method is effective under various system configurations.

Virtual node based adaptive routing in wireless ad hoc networks

It is a challenge to make the routes quickly adapt to the changed network topology when nodes fail in a wireless ad hoc network. In this paper, we propose an adaptive routing protocol, which groups the network nodes into virtual nodes according to their data transfer capabilities and creates virtual-node-based routes. The protocol can accommodate the routes to node failures by adaptively pdating the virtual nodes and just-in-time using available nodes during data transmission. The simulations indicate that the proposed protocol can keep the routes failed-node-freewhen the available virtual node members cover the failed nodes scattering area.