A Cross-Layer Approach to Multichannel MAC Protocol Design for Video Streaming Over Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

This paper presents a cross-layer design for a reliable video transmission over wireless ad hoc networks based on multichannel MAC protocol with TDMA. First, we conduct a study of the multichannel MAC protocol through Markov chain model. Based on this study, two novel cross-layer modules are adopted for the design of multichannel MAC protocol. First, we adopt maximum latency rate (MLR) as the channel quality metric. Unlike the traditional MAC design based on network allocation vector (NAV), MLR is implemented to provide differentiated traffic so that the channel with smaller MLR time is initiated for higher priority traffic. Second, we adopt two congestion-aware metrics, namely MAC utilization and queue length of MAC layer, to improve the congestion-aware routing protocols with AODV and DSR. These two novel modules allow the proposed MAC protocol design to achieve high performance video transmission over wireless ad hoc networks. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the state-of-the-art schemes under multichannel environments in wireless ad hoc networks for as much as 3.6 dB in PSNR. Such significant performance enhancement confirms that the cross-layer approach is very effective for multichannel MAC protocol design.