A grid-based cooperative QoS routing protocol with fading memory optimization for navigation carrier ad hoc networks

Cooperative QoS routing (CQR) protocols have the potential to provide scalable information delivery in multi-service network application. However, CQR approach in harsh environments, in terms of long-range transmission, high dynamic topology, and three-dimensional monitor region, is still an open issue. In this paper, we propose a novel grid-based routing approach, namely FMCQR protocol, to guarantee QoS-aware routing for heterogeneous services in above harsh environments. Our approach is explored by the synthesis of three kernel features. First, a grid-based route model is developed on the basis of two key points, i.e., Three-dimensional Geographic Grid (TGG) space and Controlled Virtual Node (CVN). Hereinto, TGG provides a refined virtual addressing space; CVN, basically a distributed cooperative strategy within TGG border, forms the intra-TGG nodes into a virtual MIMO agent, thus the three-dimensional high dynamic topology can be transferred into a CVN-based stationary topology in TGG space. Second, a QoS routing mechanism, namely CQR, is introduced to guarantee QoS-aware route for heterogeneous requests with the assist from CVN-based metrics, and achieve the route discovery in unknown environments by switching between relay-destination (RD) and source-relay (SR) searching algorithms. Third, a novel Fading Memory Optimization (FMO) algorithm, based on Ebbinghaus memory principle, is designed to further enhance the route efficiency. Finally, extensive simulations are conducted to assess the effectiveness of the above features, compared to related typical routing protocols, our approach has better convergence and better QoS in terms of successful delivery ratio, average delay, average link overhead, and normalized routing distance.