Channel Assignment Protocol with Weaker Restrictions in Wireless Multihop Networks

In wireless multihop networks such as wireless ad-hoc networks, sensor networks and mesh networks, contentions and collisions reduce throughput of data message transmissions. For achieving contentionand collision-free networks, algorithms for assignment of one of multiple communication channels to each wireless communication link has been proposed. However, the ratio of successful channel assignment in the conventional algorithms is not so high due to too hard restrictions on channel assignment. This paper proposes a channel assignment algorithm with weaker restrictions where possible collisions at nodes out of wireless multihop transmission routes are allowed. Based on the novel algorithm, a backward-type channel assignment protocol is designed. Simulation results show that our protocol achieves higher assignment ratio than the conventional protocols with more than 6 communication channels in each wireless communication link.