Optimizing multicast protocols to reduce energy dissipation in mobile peer networks

Abstract

Wireless infrastructures have seen a drastic increase in energy requirements as technology shifted towards higher frequencies in an attempt to increase bandwidth. This is further accentuated by increasingly demanding real-time services such as video streaming. To cater for these new services and still guarantee an adequate quality of service, wireless network operators in large cities have to install more base stations and access points, hence increasing power consumption. Mobile peer networking is a possible solution for power-efficient wireless communication, since it reduces infrastructural requirements and peer transmission over short distances demands less power. A novel algorithm based on multicast protocols, traffic sampling, and state switching is proposed. Results show that this technique presents a remarkable power efficiency improvement over standard peer-to-peer networks.