Cooperative communication toward autonomous multihop wireless neworking

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Multihop wireless networking refers to the network paradigm where messages are transmitted over multiple hops of wireless links. Example network architectures include wireless mesh networks, mobile ad hoc networks, and wireless sensor networks. They complement the conventional single-hop cellular wireless systems and, in many areas, they are poised to replace the conventional wireless networks to provide important services such as mobile broadband Internet access, remote environmental monitoring, and localized communication for national security and disaster recovery.    Commercial applications of multihop wireless networks are broad. Examples in Canada include the metropolitan-scale broadband mesh network to blanket the Toronto downtown area in 2007, remote forest fire detection in the western provinces, and mobile monitoring networks for fisheries on the Atlantic coast. However, the efficient operation of such networks must overcome many unique challenges.    The proposed research program is focused on the peer-to-peer nature of multihop wireless systems, where the network participants not only compete with each other for system resources but can also collaborate toward overall efficient network operation. This collaborative communication paradigm represents a significant step forward from the traditional centralized networking environment. We aim toward realizing the vision of an autonomous multihop wireless system, where the network nodes utilize intelligent hardware and software to sense the environment and react by adaptive self-reconfiguration. This research program will create new theories and technologies toward promoting intelligent group collaboration among the peer nodes in multihop wireless systems. It will lead to efficient provisioning of application services and network functions, supporting intelligent system reconfiguration to meet diverse and evolving application requirements and networking environments.