A simple and reliable credit-balanced incentive scheme for wireless ad-hoc networks

One of the fundamental challenges in wireless ad-hoc networking is promotion of cooperation among rational and selfish nodes. Various schemes have been proposed in the literature to stimulate nodes collaboration by improving data forwarding function or route discovery function. The novel algorithm proposed in this paper enhances these two ad-hoc networking functions by utilizing a unique credit-reputation hybrid approach. In the data forwarding phase, a reputation and credit combined mechanism offers incentives with simpler and less overhead process; in the route discovery phase, a new routing metric considering the remaining energy as well as balance between credits and energy has been introduced. Simulations results show that the scheme could successfully stimulate node cooperation by manipulating credits and reputation restrictions and more importantly actively discouraging three types of selfish behaviors.