Infrastructured Ad Hoc Networks

In traditional ad hoc networks, all nodes are considered equal and take equal part in the routing and forwarding of packets. We believe that this may not always be desirable. Rather, some nodes may be equipped with virtually unlimited power supplies, while others have to rely on battery power. Thus, we propose the creation of “infrastructured” ad hoc networks by the deployment of pseudo base-stations (PBSs), which are nodes that have constant power supply (e.g., through a power outlet or a car battery), do not move, and are present just to act as routers and forward packets for other nodes, thus allowing the mobile nodes to save power. The paper also presents ISAIAH, an ad hoc routing protocol based on the Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol, which tries to select routes that go through PBSs instead of through mobile nodes to reduce the amount of power spent by these mobile nodes. Furthermore, it allows nodes to enter a power-saving mode, significantly reducing the power consumption compared to AODV.