Ad hoc routing for cellular coverage extension

In order to extend the cell coverage of upcoming 3G cellular systems, this paper proposes a novel routing algorithm based on ad hoc networking. The utilization of ad hoc network nodes as relays for calls designated to the base station greatly improves the flexibility of cellular networks. It reduces the CDMA inherent cell breathing behavior by reducing the maximum necessary cell radius. Further more, it increases the distance between adjacent base stations and therewith the cost of deployment. Due to the sake of efficiency, the ad hoc routing for cellular coverage extension (ARCE) algorithm violates the ad hoc networking paradigm of a distributed interworking between nodes. ARCE relies on architecture with base stations as central controls maintaining the entire network. All hops from a mobile node to the base station are within the ad hoc network; only the last hop towards the base station is inside the cellular domain. The algorithm requires route requests and route replies as in common ad hoc networks, but allows the efficient calculation of multiple, not necessary disjoint paths.