Adaptive Protocols for Mobile Wireless Networks

Abstract

Results are reported for basic research in mobile wireless communication networks for tactical applications including investigations of new methods for error-control coding and decoding, modulation and demodulation, channel access, adaptive transmission and routing,, and broadband antenna design. Research results are presented on adaptive, energy-efficient, distributed protocols for mobile wireless networks that must operate effectively over unreliable communication links in highly dynamic environments and handle multimedia traffic. The dominant feature of the research is the exploitation of interactions among protocols to capitalize on the opportunities and overcome the impediments presented by the tactical communications environment and capitalize on the differences in quality-of-service requirements for mixed-media traffic. The interactions among protocols involve not only the exchange of information but also the active cooperation of different classes of protocols to accomplish the common objective of reliable, energy-efficient distribution of information. The research accomplishments include establishing and taking maximum advantage of a strong coupling of the various protocol layers with physical-layer functions such as receiver processing, modulation and demodulation, error-control coding and decoding. New protocols have been developed and evaluated for directional antennas, and broadband antennas have been designed and tested for use with spread-spectrum communications and other wideband waveforms. The development of side information in physical-layer operations and its effective utilization in soft-decision decoding, adaptive transmission, and adaptive routing are fundamental elements of the communication techniques and adaptive protocols that have been designed and evaluated. Results are reported for basic research in mobile wireless communication networks for tactical applications including investigations of new methods for error-control coding and decoding, modulation and demodulation, channel access, adaptive transmission and routing,, and broadband antenna design. Contributions include adaptive, energy-efficient, distributed protocols for mobile wireless networks that must operate effectively over unreliable communication links in highly dynamic environments and handle multimedia traffic. The dominant feature of the research is the exploitation of interactions among protocols to capitalize on the opportunities and overcome the impediments presented by the tactical communications environment and capitalize on the differences in quality-of-service requirements for mixed-media traffic. The interactions among protocols involve not only the exchange of information but also the active cooperation of different classes of protocols to accomplish common objectives. New protocols have been developed and evaluated for directional antennas, and broadband antennas have been designed and tested for use with spread-spectrum communications and other wideband waveforms. 005