A simple load-balancing approach in cheat-proof ad hoc networks

Ad hoc routing protocols such as AODV and DSR do not try to search for new routes until the network topology changes. Hence, with low node mobility, traffic may concentrate on just a few nodes, which results in long end-to-end delay due to congestion at the nodes. Furthermore, since some specific nodes are used for a long time, their battery power may be rapidly exhausted. To resolve this traffic concentration problem, we propose a load balancing scheme called simple load-balancing approach (SLA) that allows each node to drop RREQ or to give up packet forwarding depending on its own traffic load. Meanwhile, mobile nodes may deliberately give up packet forwarding to save their own energy. To make nodes volunteer in packet forwarding we also suggest a payment scheme called protocol-independent fairness algorithm (PIFA).