An intra-cluster QoS routing scheme for ad hoc networks based on improved ant colony algorithm

Ad hoc networks are characterized by multi-hop wireless links without any infrastructure and frequent node mobility. The design of an intra-cluster routing scheme supporting quality of service (QoS) is extremely challenging because of mobility, limited power, unpredictable radio channel behavior and constrained bandwidth, which is still an open issue for ad hoc networks at present. A class of ant colony based routing protocols has recently gained attention because of their adaptability to the network changes. Nevertheless, because of the defects of slow-convergence and stagnation phenomenon, we improve the ant colony algorithm to calculate different required QoS routes with multiple constraints. The algorithm with limited lifetime and memorial state exhibits faster convergence and better solution. Here we take time delay, delay jitter, bandwidth, packet loss rate and cost into consideration. At last, simulation and experiment are carried out to prove the feasibility and performance of the algorithm.