A Multiple Path Characterization of Ad-Hoc Network Capacity

Abstract

In this paper, we characterize the performance of wireless ad-hoc networks through a capacity model which is based on explicit modeling of the interference across multiple routing paths. A set of elementary equations were developed to describe single-channel interference based on radio transmissions within a unit disk (UD) under random mobility conditions. The distinguishing feature of the model is that it introduces micro-models for three elementary sources of interference: inter-path, intra-path, and common origin interference. Simulation experiments found that the proposed session-based model generates throughput results consistent with existing approaches for modeling single path (SP) throughput performance within a unit area disk. However, we go one step further to use the SP throughput equations as the basis for developing a set of equations that model multiple path (MP) throughput performance. Mobility simulations of MP routing indicate that inter-path interference plays a dominant role in defining throughput performance, while intra-path interference and common origin interference have different effects as multi-user session and nodal densities change.