Predict the Multi-hop Reliability for Receiver-Contention Based Routing in Dynamic Link Networks

We consider dynamic link networks(DLN), where nodes are static, but the links are highly dynamic. Reliable multi-hop communication is critical in such networks, which inspires receiver contention routing, which elects relays from actual receivers to overcome link dynamics. However, in previous studies of receiver contention routing protocols, the multi-hop reliability is lack of deep understanding, because the randomness and redundancy in the multi-hop packet forwarding process are hard to model. We propose RECORD protocol to control the randomness and redundant packet for receiver contention, which is carried out by designing sector-shape forwarding zone, prioritized CTS, and contention clearing scheme. For symmetric link DLNs, RECORD can guarantee multi-hop unique-path routing, which enables a Markov Chain model to the multi-hop forwarding process. The multi-hop reliability is predicted by analyzing the stable status of the Markov chain. Particularly, when positions of all sensors are known, the multi-hop reliability of RECORD has close-form formula; when node positions are unknown, recursive upper bound and lower bound are derived. Further, RECORD is implemented distributively by both simulation and in real sensor networks. Extensive evaluations validate the analytical results.