A SIR-based model for contact-based messaging applications supported by permanent infrastructure

Abstract

In this paper we focus on the study of coupled systems of ordinary differential equations (ODE's) describing the diffusion of messages between mobile devices. Communications in mobile opportunistic networks take place upon the establishment of ephemeral contacts among mobile nodes using direct communication. SIR (Sane, Infected, Recovered) models permit to represent the diffusion of messages using an epidemiological based approach. The question we analyse in this work is whether the coexistence of a fixed infrastructure can improve the diffusion of messages and thus justify the additional costs. We analyse this case from the point of view of dynamical systems, finding and characterising the admissible equilibrium of this scenario. We show that a centralised diffusion is not efficient when people density reaches a sufficient value. This result supports the interest in developing opportunistic networks for occasionally crowded places to avoid the cost of additional infrastructure.