A design framework and taxonomy for hybrid routing protocols in mobile Ad Hoc networks

Abstract

Routing protocols for mobile ad hoc networks can be classified into two categories: topological routing and geographic routing. Hybrid routing protocols that take advantage of both schemes have attracted a lot of attention recently. This article provides a systematic survey of these hybrid routing protocols. We first analyze the three types of routing information used in the hybrid routing protocols, namely, topological information, geographic information, and hierarchy information. Then, based on a review of the representative hybrid routing protocols, we summarize the three design options for hybrid routing protocols, namely, radius of the routing zone (1, k, or D), geographic information (position or position plus partition), and routing structure (flat or hierarchical). Finally, we propose a three-dimensional design framework that can accommodate well all of the existing hybrid routing protocols. The framework also helps find the unexplored design space, motivating the design of new hybrid routing protocols.