Link availability modeling for routing algorithms to reduce the link break time in MANETs

In the design of mobile ad hoc networks, a challenging problem is how to route information reliably and efficiently from one node to another in moderate to high level of mobility. In this paper, we propose a new routing protocol, called link effective available time (LEAT) routing. First, we propose a method to find the link available time during an epoch by measuring the distances between the two nodes of a mobile link, instead of using complete localization information. Second, in order to reduce the link breakage, we propose a new link cost for routing, i.e., the product of the available time and availability of a link. Based on the new cost, the routing is formulated as an optimal routing problem, for which a heuristic algorithm is developed. Simulation results have demonstrated that LEAT significantly reduces link breakages while maintains network performance in delay, hopcounts and throughput, as compared to the existing routing algorithms.