Optimization of mobile backbone networks: Improved algorithms and approximation

Abstract

Abstract-This paper presents new algorithms for throughput optimization in mobile backbone networks. This hierarchical sensing approach combines mobile backbone nodes, which have superior mobility and communication capability, with regular nodes, which are constrained in mobility and communication capability but which can sense the environment. An important quantity of interest in mobile backbone networks is the number of regular nodes that can be successfully assigned to mobile backbone nodes at a given throughput level. This paper develops a novel technique for optimizing this quantity using mixed-integer linear programming (MILP). The MILPbased algorithm provides a significant reduction in computation time compared to existing methods and is computationally tractable for problems of moderate size. An approximation algorithm is also developed that is appropriate for largescale problems. This approximation algorithm has a theoretical performance guarantee and is demonstrated to perform well in practice.

Simultaneous placement and assignment for exploration in mobile backbone networks

“…Previous problem formulations in mobile backbone networks have assumed that the locations of regular nodes are fixed a priori and that only the locations of mobile backbone nodes are variable [2], [7], [8]. This assumption is reasonable for some applications, such as scenarios that involve mobile agents extracting data from a fixed sensor network.…”

“…The running time of the algorithm presented in [7] is polynomial in the number of regular nodes but exponential in the number of mobile backbone nodes. Our previous work has described an improved exact algorithm for this problem, as well as for the related problem of maximizing the number of regular nodes that achieve a desired minimum throughput [2]. Our work also described the first known polynomial time approximation algorithm for maximizing the number of regular nodes that achieve a desired minimum throughput for the case of stationary regular nodes [2].…”

“…Our previous work has described an improved exact algorithm for this problem, as well as for the related problem of maximizing the number of regular nodes that achieve a desired minimum throughput [2]. Our work also described the first known polynomial time approximation algorithm for maximizing the number of regular nodes that achieve a desired minimum throughput for the case of stationary regular nodes [2]. This paper formulates an extension that models regular node motion and derives exact and approximation algorithms for this extension.…”

Throughput Optimization in Mobile Backbone Networks

“…As described in Section 3, existing problem formulations in the study of mobile backbone networks have assumed that the locations of regular nodes are fixed a priori and that only the locations of mobile backbone nodes are variable [18], [3], [6]. This assumption is reasonable for some applications, such as scenarios that involve mobile agents extracting data from a fixed sensor network.…”

“…A key insight discussed in Refs. [3], [18] is that although the mobile backbone nodes can occupy arbitrary locations, they can be restricted to a small number of locations without sacrificing optimality. For throughput functions that are monotonically nonincreasing in distance, each mobile backbone node can be placed at the 1-center of its assigned regular nodes in an optimal solution.…”