Broadcasting in geometric radio networks

Abstract

We consider deterministic broadcasting in geometric radio networks (GRN) whose nodes know only a limited part of the network. Nodes of a GRN are situated in the plane and each of them is equipped with a transmitter of some range r. A signal from this node can reach all nodes at distance at most r from it but if a node u is situated within the range of two nodes transmitting simultaneously, then a collision occurs at u and u cannot get any message. Each node knows the part of the network within knowledge radius s from it, i.e., it knows the positions, labels and ranges of all nodes at distance at most s. The aim of this paper is to study the impact of knowledge radius s on the time of deterministic broadcasting in a GRN with n nodes and eccentricity D of the source. Our results show sharp contrasts between the efficiency of broadcasting in geometric radio networks as compared to broadcasting in arbitrary graphs. They also show quantitatively the impact of various types of knowledge available to nodes on broadcasting time in GRN. Efficiency of broadcasting is influenced by knowledge radius, knowledge of individual positions when knowledge radius is zero, and awareness of collisions.