Self-estimation of Neighborhood Density for Mobile Wireless Nodes

In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the density of nodes for pedestrians and/or vehicles with information terminals. The method enables us to provide intelligent services which are environmentaware with highly dynamic movement of nodes such as intellectual navigation that tells the user the best route to detour congested regions. In the proposed method, each node is supposed to know its location roughly (i.e. within some error range) and to maintain a density map covering its surroundings. This map is updated when a node receives a density map from a neighboring node. Also by estimating the change of the density, taking into account the movement characteristics of nodes, the density map is updated in a timely fashion. The simulation experiments have been conducted and the results have shown the accuracy of the estimated density maps.