DYNAMIC TOPOLOGY CONTROL IN AD HOC NETWORKS WITH DIRECTIONAL LINKS

Networks emerging as increasingly significant to US DoD visions comprise dynamic, heterogeneous terrestrial, air-borne, and/or space-based nodes, some of whose links are directional, variable performance, and inherently unsta-ble. Our work investigates an approach for managing the topology of such ad hoc networks with free-space optical (FSO) links that optimizes network performance metrics, e.g., the total network throughput. Unlike previous ap-proaches, our dynamic approach to topology control in-corporates node motions and link quality to drive connec- tivity decisions and multiple topology updates accordingly in order to maintain connectivity and maximize through-put. In addition to incorporating the constraints and limi-tations of the network capabilities and resources, the ap-proach features a model formulation of link impairment for a generic FSO system. We describe this model and show how it can be used to guide topology control deci-sions for optimal network performance. We then present a formulation of a multi-period, multi-layer (network and physical) topology control decision problem and compare example solutions to alternative approaches.