A networking perspective of mobile parallel relays

For mobile ad hoc networking, relaying is one of the most fundamental functions. The traditional relaying strategy is serial, where data packets hop from a single node to another, and the nodes neighboring a transmitting node or a receiving node are suppressed from transmission to avoid radio interference. We consider a parallel relaying strategy where neighboring nodes may act as parallel relays with space-time modulation. We demonstrate the feasibility of parallel relaying in ad hoc networks by presenting a generic route discovery algorithm for establishing routes of parallel relays. We also formulate a link layer protocol for forwarding packets through parallel relays. We then provide analytical results of packet loss rate and link delay time to highlight some of the potential benefits of parallel relays. With N parallel relays at each link, a diversity factor, N-squared, is achievable. A power saving of 10 dB or more is possible from serial relaying to parallel relaying.