CFFD-MAC: A Hybrid MAC for Collision Free Full-Duplex Communication in Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks

Abstract

Infrastructure-less (sometimes known as ad-hoc) networking paradigm is very appealing and potentially shaping its future into almost all emerging networks (i.e., IoT, wireless sensor networks, vehicular ad-hoc networks, emergency, and tactical radio networks, etc.). However, when conventional networking protocols are used, such networks often perform poorly, mainly because of interference within the network and limited network throughput. Recent advancements in wireless communications have enabled full-duplex (FD) operation by suppressing self-interference, which can theoretically double the network throughput. However, conventional medium access control (MAC) protocols like carrier-sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) favor half-duplex (HD) operation and fail to benefit from FD transmission opportunities. This article proposes a novel hybrid MAC protocol for full-duplex ad-hoc networks. The proposed MAC combines time division multiple access (TDMA) and IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF) strengths in chains of time-slotted contention-based control frames and collision-free data frames. The aim is to fully utilize FD transmission opportunities to increase network throughput. The proposed protocol modifies request-to-send (RTS) and clear-to-send (CTS) frames in IEEE 802.11 DCF MAC to form FD-RTS/CTS frames. These frames are used to enable collision-free FD communications among neighbors. The proposed scheme mitigates conventional MAC issues like hiddennode problem (HNP) and exposed-node problem (ENP). It also allows concurrent FD data transmissions in a collision-free manner. The model is generic and can be applied to any ad-hoc wireless network. In this article, the design is applied to a single channel ad-hoc network with FD transceivers. We compared the proposed design with IEEE 802.11 CSMA/CA protocol with both HD and FD transceivers. The simulation results show a 30% gain in throughput, reduced latency, and fairness among participating wireless nodes.INDEX TERMS Ad-hoc networks, Collision-free, Full-duplex, Medium-access-control, RTS/CTS, Wireless networks.

Toward an efficient and coordinated control of full‐duplex radio communications in high‐efficiency wireless local area networks

“…Then transmission opportunity is granted to them. Rukaiya et al 37 . proposed a hybrid MAC protocol for DF ad‐hoc networks.…”

“…Then transmission opportunity is granted to them. Rukaiya et al 37 proposed a hybrid MAC protocol for DF adhoc networks. The proposed MAC combines time division multiple access (TDMA) and IEEE 802.11 DCF strengths in chains of time-slotted contention-based control frames and collision-free data frames.…”

A Reliable Merging Link Scheme Using Weighted Markov Chain Model in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

“…When a vehicle transports a high quantity of data packets, it participates in multiple competitions. Because 802.11p does not support RTS/CTS for data packet broadcasting [9], it is susceptible to hidden terminal issues and conflict [10]. Therefore, collisions between data packets are not immediately noticeable.…”

“…The TDMA protocol was proposed for automotive ad hoc networks in order to improve transmission efficiency and overcome IEEE 802.11p's restrictions. Numerous shared TDMA-based MAC principles for VANETs have been presented that aimed to eliminate or mitigate merging conflicts as well as the hidden terminal problems [8,9]. In the centralized TDMA protocol, the centralized node allocates the time slot, and in the distributed TDMA protocol, each node manages the time slot [11][12][13][14].…”

Evolved Wireless ad Hoc Network: Design and Operating Principle for Wireless Resource Management of Mobile Terminals

“…The full-duplex (FD) system is a special system that can detect resource collisions. For example, [4] suggests a hybrid MAC for full-duplex communication. FD clearly has an advantage in collision detection compared to HD.…”