Mobile Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Luiz A. DaSilva, Jeff H. Reed, William Newhall Mobile and Portable Radio Group Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Luiz DaSilva, 2002

Agenda
Fundaments of Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) Advances in MANET Research on MANET at Virginia Tech Automotive applications

Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Fundaments of Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs)

Definition and applications Challenges Standardization

Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANET)

Backbone Mobile nodes Access points

MANET Wireless Mobile Network

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Fundamental Concepts
Ad hoc networks are autonomous networks operating either in isolation or as stub networks connecting to a fixed network Do not necessarily rely on existing infrastructure
No access point

Each node serves as a router and forwards packets for other nodes in the network Topology of the network continuously changes

Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Motivation
Battlefield survivability
Must support mobility Avoid single point of failure typical of centralized systems Often unable to rely on existing communications infrastructure Desire for a rapidly deployable, self-organizing network Multi-hop packet routing used to exchange messages between users who are not within LOS of each other

Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Applications
Military
Rapidly deployable battle-site networks Sensor fields Unmanned aerial vehicles

Disaster management
Disaster relief teams that cannot rely on existing infrastructure

Neighborhood area networks (NANs)

Shareable Internet access in high density urban settings

Impromptu communications among groups of people

Meetings/conferences Wearable computing

Automobile communications (more on this later)

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Characteristics
Dynamic topology Heterogeneity Bandwidth-constrained variable-capacity links Limited physical security Nodes with limited battery life and storage capabilities

Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Standardization
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) MANET working group (http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/manetcharter.html) The primary focus of the working group is to develop and evolve MANET routing specification(s) and introduce them to the Internet Standards track. The goal is to support networks scaling up to hundreds of routers. () The working group will also serve as a meeting place and forum for those developing and experimenting with MANET approaches.
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Advances in MANET
Areas of current research Routing Cluster management

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Research focus to date

Routing protocols
Reactive, proactive, hybrid

Cluster management
To reduce overhead, to facilitate network management, to enable QoS, etc.

Quality of service (QoS)

Differentiating among different types of applications

Medium access
Closing the link, recognizing neighbors, scheduling transmission, etc.

Other
TCP performance in MANETs, etc.
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Routing in MANETs
Why is it different from routing in other types of network?
Because both end nodes and routers are mobile

Rate of link failure can be high if mobility is high Unicast and multicast routing problems are being treated
No protocol has been standardized yet (but several under consideration as Internet Drafts at the IETF)

Need new metrics to assess the effectiveness of the protocol

Route stability Control overhead Data rebroadcast overhead (for multicast)

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

MANET Routing Protocols

Proactive
Establish routes in advance Example: Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR)

Reactive
Establish routes as needed Example: Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) Less routing overhead, but higher latency in establishing the path

Hybrid
Proactive within a restricted geographic area, reactive if a packet must traverse several of these areas Example: Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP)

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Routing Example
A
denotes neighbors

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Dynamic Source Routing -- DSR (1)

Suppose node A wishes to send a packet to node B, but does not currently have a valid route to the destination
Need for route discovery

Node A broadcasts a ROUTE_REQUEST packet

Each node forwards the packet to its neighbors unless they are the destination or have a valid route to the destination As the packet traverses the network, each intermediate node adds its address to the header, establishing the reverse route

The destination, node B, sends a ROUTE_REPLY packet to node A

If the links are not bi-directional, node B must perform its own route discovery to respond to node A
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DSR (2)
A
ROUTE_REQUEST packets

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

DSR (3)
A
ROUTE_REPLY packets

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

DSR (4)
Intermediate nodes may cache accumulated route record contained in the ROUTE_REQUEST packet headers in order to reduce routing overhead
Security concerns with this type of snooping

Confirmation of the receipt of a packet can be done by passive acknowledgement

Node overhears a downstream node forwarding the packet

DSR also contains provisions to avoid route reply storms

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR)

Unlike DSR, a proactive routing scheme Routers maintain awareness of current network topology by exchanging beacons (HELLO messages) Each node tells the entire network about its immediate neighbors
So each node forms a picture of the entire network topology Each node can then calculate the best route to any destination

Flooding the network with HELLO messages incurs too much overhead
OLSR uses multi-point relay (MPR) nodes to decrease the number of unnecessary broadcasts (only selected nodes broadcast HELLO)
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Other routing protocols

Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP)
Proactive within the nodes local neighborhood, reactive for interzone routing

Temporally Ordered Routing Algorithm (TORA)

Structured reaction to link failures by temporally ordered sequence of searches for alternative routes

Multicast routing protocols

Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) Multicast Zone Routing (MZR) Multicast Optimized Link State Routing (MOLSR) On-demand Multicast Routing Protocol (OMRP)

And many more

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Clustering
Transforms the physical network into a virtual network of interconnected node clusters Cluster controllers act on behalf of other members of the cluster to make control decisions Gateways establish communication between clusters The objective is to improve efficiency of resource use by
Reducing channel contention Forming routing backbones to reduce network diameter Abstracting network state information to reduce its quantity and variability

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Link-Clustered Architecture (1)

gateway cluster

cluster head ordinary node

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Link-Clustered Architecture (2)

Must have a protocol for electing clusterheads, choosing gateways Provides a natural routing backbone consisting of clusterheads and gateways
However, may reduce throughput and network robustness (single point of failure)

Another option is to use the clusterhead for control purposes but not for routing
Each node distributes and collects routing information and chooses routes Neither inter-cluster nor intra-cluster routing requires clusterhead traversal
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Clustering for backbone formation Gateway and Head the Same(1)

cluster

cluster head

ordinary node
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backbone
Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Clustering for backbone formation (2)

May create a backbone, reducing delay related to multiple hops
Long distance backbone links may be provided by increased transmit power for the clusterheads

Need a protocol to elect clusterheads, decide cluster affiliation For fault-tolerant connectivity and load balancing, may create multiple disjoint routing backbones
Virtual Subnet Architecture

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Research on MANET at Virginia Tech

Smart antennas in ad hoc networks Policy-based management for ad hoc mobile networks Game Theory Adaptive MACs
Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

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Smart antennas in ad hoc networks

Potential benefits in closing the link, reaching distant notes through a direct link, directional multicasting, etc. Simulation of smart antenna controller, with dynamic beam forming and null steering
Development of an integrated Matlab/OPNET Modeler simulation including layers 1 (signal degradation and attenuation, optimum assignment of antenna weights), 2 (medium access) and 3 (routing) considerations

Application of directed beams to increase the efficiency of medium access algorithms in ad-hoc environments
Multi-hop request-to-send/request-to-orient

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Simulation snapshot
Node 1 & Node 3 transmit packets to Node 0 using circular array antenna containing 8 elements. Node 2 orients the receive antenna towards the Node 1. Node 0 uses null forming algorithm to receive packets only from Node 1.

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Policy-based Management
Policy-based Networking (PBN)
Automating network management Abstraction of complex low-level policies to simple high-level policies Multiple policy disciplines QoS, network security, IP address allocation etc.

QoS policy
QoS means incentive to steal resources?! Need for Authentication, Authorization, Accounting Policy-based Admission Control (PAC) Not just based on available resources (bandwidth) IETF/DMTF Standardization Common Open Policy Service (COPS) protocol etc.
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Management of Ad Hoc Networks

Autonomous networks operating in isolation or as stub networks Extremely challenging
Severe bandwidth constraints Limited battery life Dynamic topology Heterogeneity Limited survivability

Need a robust, adaptive, and efficient management framework Are wireless mobile networks another venue for policy-based management?
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Framework

Goals (QoS Specification)

Dynamic Policies, Feasibility Analysis, etc. Adaptation Logic

Policy Specification

Policy Distribution

Battery life, link bandwidth, role discovery, etc. Capabilities Discovery Topology Discovery

PEPs, PDPs, etc. Architecture Protocol(s) Policy Provisioning Policy-based Routing

Policy Monitoring 31 Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Testbed
N e tw o rk V irg in ia A T M ARI
C IS C O rou ter 3 6 6 0 O C 3c L in u x rou ter

C IS C O rou ter 3 6 2 0 100 M bps

100 M bps S w itc h C IS C O rou ter 3 6 6 0 L in u x rou ter S w itc h H ub C IS C O rou ter 3 6 6 0 L in u x rou ter H ub

H ub

P atc h p an el

L ap top 8 0 2 .1 1 b L ap top PC PC PC PC C IS C O rou ter 3 6 6 0 L in u x rou ter KVM

C a m p u s n e tw o rk
S n iffer PC

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Automotive Communications
Issues and applications Performance and feasibility assessment

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Automotive communications
In-vehicle devices
Under the hood (brakes, transmission, engine, ) Passenger cabin (dashboard, seatbelt, air bags, )

Mobile devices
Palmtop, laptop, Blackberry, pager,

External communications
Satellite radio, AM/FM radio Positioning information, directions, road assistance Notification of traffic information, general Internet access

Diversity of needs implies multiple communications solutions

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Communications solutions
IEEE 802.11 Bluetooth Infrared IEEE 1394 Ad hoc networks CAN EXTERNAL
Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Cellular (2G/2.5G/3G)

IN VEHICLE
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Existing initiatives
Several projects dealing with automobile communications (primarily in Europe)
Project COMCAR (Communication and Mobility by Cellular Advanced Radio) Dynamic Radio for IP Services in Vehicular Environments (DRiVE) Multimedia Car Platform (MCP)

Note that all rely on infrastructure-based wireless systems (not ad hoc)

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Project COMCAR
www.comcar.de Communication and Mobility by Cellular Advanced Radio
Asymmetrical, interactive, high quality IP multimedia services Application to automobiles and trains Uses cellular infrastructure W-CDMA, OFDM, GPRS

Project developed in Germany

Ericsson, Daimler Chrysler, Sony

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

DRiVE
www.ist-drive.org Dynamic Radio for IP-Services in Vehicular Environments
Uses cellular infrastructure Dynamic frequency allocation and coexistence of different radio technologies (GSM, GPRS, UMTS, etc.) Cooperation among network elements and applications

European IST (Information Society Technologies) program started in 2000

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Multimedia Car Platform (MCP)

http://mcp.fantastic.ch IP-based, using GSM/GPRS Project partners include BMW, Volkswagen, France Telecom, Nokia and others

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Ad hoc automotive network

Each automobile participating in the network would contain a low power data transceiver
Enable communications with other automobiles in the vicinity Each vehicle serves as both an end point (to receive/transmit data) and a router (to relay data to/from other vehicles)

Some fixed sites serve as gateways to the Internet

Vehicle dealerships, other partners

Feasibility
Use unlicensed frequency bands low cost deployment Must determine achievable performance as a function of density of vehicles

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Applications
Weather and hazard alerts Safety and security Travel information and m-commerce (car is your credit card) Interactive navigation Diagnostic data Maintenance support Instant messaging Data mining General Internet access
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Performance Assessment
Factors deal primarily with very dynamic nature of the topology
Latency of transmissions Probability of success Throughput Control traffic overhead Route stability

and impairments due to the wireless medium

Error rate Spectrum utilization

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Network architecture
Mobile nodes (vehicles)
Transceiver In-vehicle devices, mobile consumer devices

Existing infrastructure
Cellular/PCS, public data network, etc.

New infrastructure
Car dealerships Gas and service stations Drive-through windows Fixed points along highways

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Network components
Radio
Power requirements and power control Bandwidth Memory requirements Programmability Antenna requirements

Backhaul strategies
Wireline, fixed wireless, satellite IP-based, PSTN,

Protocols
Physical, MAC and transport layers Ad-hoc routing protocols for unicast and multicast
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Evolutionary path
Migration to new standards and technologies Compatibility with existing standards Challenges
Development and product life cycle is very different for automobiles versus communications devices Market penetration of proposed new technology in new vehicles and existing vehicles will impact network density and therefore performance

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Technology assessment
Analysis and simulation
Network capacity Network performance as a function of node density

Demonstrations
Experimental statistics Application demonstration

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Benefits of Research
Benefits to GM

Clear understanding of feasibility of vehicular ad-hoc network and performance of such a network Fill a gap in vehicular communications research on external networking and communications Future research to provide more detailed descriptions of realizing the network on a broad scale Future work could include prototypes to be demonstrated

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Readings and References (1)

Books on MANET
C. K. Toh, Ad Hoc Mobile Wireless Networks: Protocols and Systems, Prentice Hall, 2001. C. E. Perkins, Ad Hoc Networking, Addison Wesley, 2000.

IETF MANET working group for RFCs with details of proposed routing protocols
http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/manet-charter.html

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications

Readings and References (2)

For a summary of unicast and multicast routing protocols
M. Christman, Extensions for Multicast in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (XMMAN): the Reduction of Data Overhead in Wireless Multicast Trees, M.S. Thesis, Virginia Tech, July 2002.

For a discussion of automotive communications

W. Kellerer et al., (Auto) Mobile Communication in a Heterogeneous and Converged World, IEEE Personal Communications, December 2001.

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Ad Hoc Networks and Automotive Applications