Adaptive backbone-based multicast for ad hoc networks

This paper describes an adaptive multicast mechanism for ad hoc networks. The multicast mechanism adopts a two-tier architecture with an adaptive backbone infrastructure to integrate the effectiveness of the flooding scheme and the efficiency of the tree-based scheme for different network conditions. Coverage of a backbone node is not limited to a single hop, but is automatically adjusted according to the mobility status of each local area. Multicast capability is then provided via the construction of rendezvous-based multicast trees in the local group level and a mesh structure over the backbone level, providing both efficiency in static areas and robustness in dynamic areas. Performance evaluations are also presented.