A MAC Protocol Using Energy Signals for QoS in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

We propose a medium access control protocol for real-time applications in wireless networks. It is a distributed mechanism that takes account of priority. At the beginning of a session, a node determines a frame of energy signals based on priority level and a random number. Nodes send energy signals or listen to the channel based on their frames. Nodes that have sent energy signals without hearing energy signals win the right to access the channel. Once a node has transmitted successfully, the frame of the node is determined by its priority class. Nodes that have been waiting longer have higher priority and can send a packet without risking collision. An analysis of the proposed protocol is provided with a mixed population of data and real-time nodes. The protocol provides stable conditions and a limit on maximum packet delay. We also evaluate the performance of the proposed protocol using simulations.