CAREER: Data Dissemination in Multihop Wireless Networks: Theory and System Design

数据传播，即将数据或控制消息从一个端点传输到多个端点，是无线网络运营中不可或缺的组成部分。多跳无线网络中现有的和新兴的应用，如分布式工业控制、环境监测、应急响应系统，都是基于无线设备的集合，而不是单个节点之间的通信。虽然有一些研究揭示了简单数据传播协议的复杂动态，但数据传播过程的基本特性仍然难以捉摸。例如，物理协作中继策略、功率控制、MAC层调度和路由如何影响源的可实现传输速率、信息扩散速度、数据传输的可靠性和在地理区域内广播消息的能量，我们所知甚少。因此，数据传播协议的设计大多以一种特别的方式完成。本项目重点研究数据传播协议的理论和系统设计，重点研究其在无线传感器网络和无线网状网络等业务系统中的应用。本研究将开发一个统一的分析框架，以表征不同物理层模型下随机和规则网络中数据传播过程的渐近特性和能量性能权衡。理论结果为数据传播高效鲁棒算法的跨层设计奠定了基础。研究者和学生将为传感器网络管理（SNM）开发一对多和多对一传输服务和api，以促进传感器网络中被管理设备和状态的配置和监控。

Data dissemination, i.e., transporting data or control messages from one to multiple end points, is an indispensable component in wireless network operations. Existing and emerging applications in multihop wireless networks, such as distributed industrial control, environmental monitoring, emergency response systems act on aggregates of wireless devices rather than communication between individual nodes. Although there exist a few studies that reveal the complex dynamics of simple data dissemination protocols, the fundamental properties of data dissemination process remain elusive. Little is known, for instance, how physical cooperative relay strategies, power control, MAC layer scheduling and routing affect the achievable transmission rate of the source, the speed of information diffusion, reliability of data delivery and energy to broadcast messages over a geographic area. Consequently, the design of data dissemination protocols is mostly done in an ad hoc fashion. This project focuses on the theory and system design of data dissemination protocols with emphasis on their applications in operational systems such as wireless sensor networks and wireless mesh networks. This research will develop a unified analytical framework to characterize the asymptotic properties and energy-performance trade-offs of data dissemination processes in random and regular networks under different physical layer models. The theoretical results serve as a foundation to the cross-layer design of efficient and robust algorithms for data dissemination. The investigator and students will develop one-to-many and many-to-one transport services and APIs for sensor network management (SNM) that facilitate the configuration and monitor of managed devices and states in sensor networks.