Communication architecture and protocols for broadcast-type mobile multimedia ad hoc networks

Communication architecture and related protocols are proposed for broadcast-type mobile multimedia ad hoc networks. Communication among nodes is achieved through two distinct layers that are characterized by clustering of nodes and separation of communication channels. Nodes are grouped in a disjoint manner into clusters, each cluster consisting of one or more members. One node that is one hop away from the other members in the cluster is designated as a leader or clusterhead; it acts as a communication portal for members to reach out to other nodes within or outside their clusters. We propose a cluster assisted routing (CAR) protocol that reduces the copies of route discovery messages significantly by utilizing cluster information. One distinct channel is dedicated to inter-cluster communication and the other to intra-cluster communication. Communication overhead is balanced between these two channels since the clusterhead handles more packets while the number of clusterheads is much less than that of members. This model also improves the cost of path discovery and maintenance as well as expected data delivery time.