Network Coding for Efficient Wireless Unicast

We consider the problem of establishing an efficient unicast connection over a wireless packet network. We show how network coding, combined with distributed flow optimization, gives a practicable approach that promises to significantly outperform the present approach of end-to-end or link-by-link retransmission combined with route optimization, where performance may be measured in terms of energy consumption, congestion, or any other cost that increases with the number of transmissions made by each node. We present a specific coding scheme and specific distributed flow optimization techniques that may be used to form the basis of a protocol