Self-servicing mesh router for mobile mesh networks with missed node detection

Abstract

Wireless technology has been one of the most transforming and empowering technologies in recent years. In particular, mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are among the most popularly studied network communication technologies. In such an environment, no communication infrastructure is required. The mobile nodes also play the role of the routers, helping to forward data packets to their destinations via multiple-hop relay. This type of network is suitable for situations where a fixed infrastructure is unavailable or infeasible. Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are ideal for situations where a fixed infrastructure is unavailable or infeasible. Today’s MANETs, however, may suffer from network partitioning. This limitation makes MANETs unsuitable for applications such as crisis management and battlefield communications, in which team members might need to work in groups scattered in the application terrain. In such applications, intergroup communication is crucial to the team collaboration. To address this weakness, this project introduces a new class of ad-hoc network called Autonomous Mobile Mesh Network (AMMN). Unlike conventional mesh networks, the mobile mesh nodes of an AMMN are capable of following the mesh clients in the application terrain, and organizing themselves into a suitable network topology to ensure good connectivity for both intra- and intergroup communications.