Speech Transport in Packet-Radio Networks with Mobile Nodes

A research effort to provide speech-carrying capabilities to a data-oriented packet-switching radio network is described. The features of the network that limit its ability to carry packetized speech are discussed, and their effects on the network performance are analyzed. A new protocol, called duct routing, that enhances the network capabilities in a mobile environment is presented. That protocol makes use of repeater redundancy to compensate for loss of communication connectivity due to node mobility. A series of experiments to evaluate the network performance in carrying speech traffic, both with data and voice protocols, is described, and the results are presented and discussed.