Infrastructure-based routing in wireless mobile ad hoc networks

In this paper, we propose a new protocol for wireless mobile ad hoc communications, which establishes a dynamic wireless mobile infrastructure to mimic and maintain the operation of the fixed infrastructure in cellular networks, namely, the Virtual Base Stations (VBS) infrastructure-creation protocol. In the VBS protocol, a mobile station is elected from a set of nominees to act as a temporary base station within its zone. Mobile stations elected as VBS are used to track other mobile stations in the ad hoc network. Moreover, we propose a novel routing protocol, namely, VBS routing. VBS routing utilizes the mobility-tracking mechanism of the VBS infrastructure-creation protocol, to route packets from a source node to a destination node. The new routing protocol is shown to outperform existing ad hoc routing protocols in terms of packet delivery and routing load. The VBS architecture would facilitate the development of a comprehensive and promising framework for Quality of Service (QoS) management in wireless mobile ad hoc networks once the proper integration of the MAC protocol with the routing and call admission control mechanisms is established. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.