Location-based localized alternate, disjoint and multi-path routing algorithms for wireless networks

Recently, several fully distributed (localized) location-based routing protocols for a mobile ad hoc network were reported in literature. They are variations of directional (DIR), geographic distance (GEDIR) or progress-based (MFR) routing methods. In DIR methods, each node A (the source or intermediate node) transmits a message m to several neighbors whose direction is closest to the direction of D: In MFR (most forward progress within radius), and GEDIR (GEographic DIstance Routing) methods, when node A wants to send m to node D; it forwards m to its neighbor C whose projection or distance (respectively) is closest to D among all neighbors of A: The same procedure is repeated until D; if possible, is eventually reached. In this paper, we introduce three variants of multiple path c-GEDIR, c-DIR and c-MFR methods, in which m is initially sent to c best neighbors according to corresponding criterion, and afterwards, on intermediate nodes, it is forwarded to only the best neighbor. In the original c-path method, only the first received copy at intermediate nodes is forwarded to the best neighbor. In the alternate c-path method, the ith received copy is forwarded to ith best neighbor, according to the selected criterion. In the disjoint c-path method, each intermediate node, upon receiving the message, will forward it to its best neighbor among those who never received the message (thus, in effect, the methods attempts to create c disjoint paths). The simulation experiments with random graphs show that disjoint multiple path methods provide high success rates, and small hop counts for small values of c: They also have reduced flooding rates compared to the best existing multiple-path methods and/or methods that require memorizing past traffic, such as recently proposed LAR2, fGEDIR, and DFS based routing, and can serve as a basis for scalable QoS routing in wireless networks. r 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.