A Prototype System for Using Multiple Radios in Directional MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network): A NISE Funded Applied Research Project

Abstract

The performance benefits of using high-gain steerable directional antennas for wireless networks are well known. They include spatial reuse, higher data rates, longer range, low probability of interception and detection (LPI/LPD), and anti-jam capabilities. This performance is desired for backhaul, line of sight (LOS), beyond line of sight (BLOS), and other tactical-edge wireless networks. From a practical stand point, it is difficult to employ directional antennas in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) as most current radio and wireless networking protocols were designed for use with omnidirectional antennas. The fast beam switching of electronically steerable directional antennas represents a physical layer change, and therefore introduces instabilities to many protocol layers of a networking system that are unaware of and unable to quickly adapt to physical layer changes. The Multiple Radio per Node Network Architecture (MRNNA) makes it is possible to use electronically steerable directional antennas in a MANET in a radio agnostic way by building networks out of dedicated point-to-point links. This document presents a protocol that accomplishes these goals.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA591727

Entities

People

  • Chris Cirullo

Organizations

  • Naval Information Warfare Systems Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ad Hoc Networks
  • Algorithms
  • Beam Steering
  • Computing System Architectures
  • Control Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Directional Antennas
  • Governments
  • Line Of Sight
  • Mesh Networks
  • Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
  • Network Architecture
  • Radio Equipment
  • Routing Protocols
  • Throughput
  • United States Government
  • Wireless Networks

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • Phased Array Antenna Design.
  • Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems