In upcoming years, continual advances in chip design, power consumption, and battery technology will lead to wide deployment of software defined radios (SDRs). SDRs take advantage of programmable hardware modules to dynamically modify the functionality of various radio subsystems. This flexibility allows them to find and adaptively switch between several network protocols. A hybrid wireless network is constructed when SDRs form end-to-end multihop communication links that traverse multiple network standards. The key task for these nodes is to efficiently utilize available network interfaces at each hop to move data from source to destination. This research studies and develops algorithms to help SDRs find, identify, and select appropriate interfaces over which to route diverse traffic streams while efficiently allocating radio resources. The goal is to develop foundational results in these areas so that a broader investigation of hybrid wireless networks can then be pursued.
This research will have impact on both commercial and military service providers who wish to extend network capacity and coverage by interconnecting heterogeneous, overlaid wireless systems. The PIs aim to demonstrate broader impact of hybrid wireless networks by offering short workshops that educate rural Pennsylvania communities on its benefits and by designing such a network for Susquehanna County, a rural community in Northern Pennsylvania. Research results will be disseminated and incorporated into wireless communications and networking courses at the respective institutions.
