An improved autonomous clustering scheme for highly mobile large ad hoc networks

Clustering of the ad hoc networks is an important technique for introducing a hierarchical structure into the network. In the previous work we have proposed an autonomous clustering scheme for highly mobile large ad hoc networks, which is adaptive to change of the network topology. In this scheme, the network is logically divided into sets of mobile nodes called clusters, however, is not always geographically divided. As a result, non-preferable situations may occur among clusters. In order to avoid these situations, this paper proposes an improved autonomous clustering scheme for highly mobile large ad hoc networks without using geographic location information on mobile nodes. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is effective for a geographical division of the network in the sense that the number of gateways among clusters is much decreased and the shape of clusters becomes roundish.