This project investigates the concept of cooperation between nodes in a wireless network to increase its traffic capacity and reduce radio interference. Currently, transmissions between two nodes overheard by a third node are discarded. It has been shown that this overheard information can be used by the third "helper", through additional transmissions, to increase the capacity of the network. Alternatively, the cooperating nodes can also reduce the power needed to transmit the same amount of information as a network without cooperation. The notion of cooperation will be investigated both for the actual bits being transmitted, as well as in the medium access and routing protocols that facilitate and exploit it. The research will consider ad hoc networks in addition to infrastructure-based networks.
This work shows how to increase the capacity of wireless networks, and allow for a better spatial reuse of a limited amount of bandwidth by reducing the interference to other nodes in the vicinity. Analysis, simulations and proof of concept implementations are used in this research. Broader impacts, besides the research itself, include the positive outcomes of joint work with industry partners, and involving a wide group of students in research through the implementation-related projects.
