A prediction-based link availability estimation for mobile ad hoc networks

One critical issue for routing in mobile ad hoc networks (MANET) is how to select a reliable path that can last longer since mobility may cause radio links to break frequently. To answer this question, a criterion that can judge path reliability is needed. The reliability of a path depends on the availability of the links constituting the path. However, how to measure link availability to answer the above question has not been addressed adequately in the literature. In this paper, a prediction-based link availability estimation is introduced and verified through computer simulations. This estimation algorithm can be used to develop a metric for path selection in terms of path reliability, which can improve the network performance as shown by simulation results.