Self-Stabilizing TDMA Algorithms for Dynamic Wireless Ad-hoc Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a self-stabilizing TDMA-based MAC protocol for dynamic wireless ad-hoc networks, ensuring quick convergence and robustness amidst frequent topology changes, thus improving network reliability and performance.

Contribution

It presents a novel self-stabilizing TDMA algorithm that guarantees rapid convergence and robustness for DynWANs, addressing limitations of existing protocols.

Findings

Guarantees short convergence time.

Ensures robustness in dynamic topologies.

Facilitates high bandwidth utilization.

Abstract

In dynamic wireless ad-hoc networks (DynWANs), autonomous computing devices set up a network for the communication needs of the moment. These networks require the implementation of a medium access control (MAC) layer. We consider MAC protocols for DynWANs that need to be autonomous and robust as well as have high bandwidth utilization, high predictability degree of bandwidth allocation, and low communication delay in the presence of frequent topological changes to the communication network. Recent studies have shown that existing implementations cannot guarantee the necessary satisfaction of these timing requirements. We propose a self-stabilizing MAC algorithm for DynWANs that guarantees a short convergence period, and by that, it can facilitate the satisfaction of severe timing requirements, such as the above. Besides the contribution in the algorithmic front of research, we expect that our proposal can enable quicker adoption by practitioners and faster deployment of DynWANs that are subject changes in the network topology.