A Negative Location-Based Information Dissemination Method in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Location-based services (LBSs) are important applications for mobile users. We consider an application in which the source node periodically disseminates location-based information in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). We define beneficial information as that which may be of benefit to mobile users planning to pass near the location related to the information. However, typically, mobile users change their route or travel direction when the mobile node receives beneficial information such as traffic jam and accident information (we call these information the negative location-based information). Thus, a significant problem lies in determining the proper target area for the dissemination of such information in dynamic networks because the source node is difficult to effectively know where to disseminate it. In this paper, we propose a novel location-based information dissemination method in MANETs by use of some fixed nodes. Our proposed method requires neither a positioning system, nor previous knowledge, to efficiently disseminate the information. However, the fixed nodes autonomously expand the relevant dissemination area. Through simulation experiments, we confirm that the proposed method suppresses ineffectual overhead, and that mobile users can efficiently and early receive the beneficial information.