A dynamic hierarchical radio resource allocation scheme for mobile ad-hoc networks

Mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) potentially satisfy a long-standing dream of mobile users: networking without limitations. A significant challenge in MANETs is radio resource allocation, where it is assumed that the available unregulated bandwidth over which such systems can operate is limited, hence resource allocation should be efficient and dynamically reactive to resource clashes due to node mobility. Subject to this consideration, we propose a novel hierarchical radio resource allocation scheme to operate in MANETs, able to distribute resources between nodes using a number of radio access technologies acting in parallel. The use of a hierarchy is shown to assist in the allocation of radio access functions in constituent parts (e.g. FDMA, TDMA, CDMA etc), and to help provide efficient operation of resource allocation schemes by aiding functions such as frequency reuse.