A cluster-based backbone infrastructure for broadcasting in MANETs

Broadcasting is a fundamental service in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Two categories of algorithms, based on source-independent and source-dependent connected dominating sets (CDSs), are proposed in literature to reduce the broadcast redundancy. In this paper, a cluster-based backbone infrastructure is proposed for broadcasting in MANETs. The backbone of the network takes advantage of the cluster structure and only requires clusterheads and some selected gateways to forward the broadcast packet. The static backbone (cluster-based source-independent CDS) consists of fixed clusterheads and selected source-independent gateways. Each clusterhead individually selects its gateways to connect all the clusterheads in its coverage set. The dynamic backbone (clusterbased source-dependent CDS) consists of fixed clusterheads and dynamically selected gateways. It is constructed step by step as the broadcast packet traverses the network. Each clusterhead selects some gateways to forward the packet when it sends the packet to all the clusterheads in its coverage set. Both the static and dynamic backbone structures have a constant approximation ratio to the minimum CDS. Simulations are conducted to compare both the static and dynamic backbones with another cluster-based source-independent CDS algorithm proposed recently.