Link expiration times in mobile ad hoc networks

Mobile ad hoc networks are self configuring wireless networks without any fixed infrastructure. The members within such a network move independently from each other and their movements are not restricted in any case (in car to car ad-hoc networks nodes partly drive in the same direction). Hence, it is impossible to predict routes, link expiration or link failure times. We describe a simplified scenario with two stationary terminals and one terminal in motion. This simple approach allows a statistical derivation to forecast the average distance the moving relay is within the scope of the two other nodes. With these statistical calculations, predictions about the average link expiration times and deviations for different node velocities are possible, independent from the nodes' radio transmission ranges and the distances between each other.