Geographically-aware Wireless Reliable Multicast (GeoWiReM) for Sensor-Equipped Munition Networks

The battlefield of the future will be dominated by complex and time-varying networks of sensors, soldiers and systems that share rich, real-time streams of situation awareness and force status information. To support these functions, many militaryapplications require multicast transmission to properly and efficiently operate. Standard IP multicast, however, is unreliable, and does not have any mechanisms to support geographic-based routing. New secure and reliable adhoc protocols are needed tooptimize location-aware, sensor-equipped munitions or other smart sensor networks used in FCS and MOSAIC.Trident Systems has developed, under SBIR funding, a reliable multicast protocol, intended for the Army's tactical networks. The Wireless Reliable Multicast (WiReM) provides reliable multicast transfer at the transport and networks layers. WiReM utilizesa dynamic self-configuring routing capability that works well in ad hoc environments.Under the Phase I effort, we researched and developed approaches for implementing Geographic awareness and power-consciousness in WiReM. The Geographically-aware WiReM (GeoWiReM) protocol is a logical evolution of our reliable multicast research. Weproposed to augment the WiReM mesh-building algorithm with geographic information, and coupled this with power-awareness mechanisms to control required transmission power. GeoWiReM will also provide prioritization and preemption mechanisms to supportcritical messages in sensor networks.A reliable multicast protocol will provide guaranteed and efficient dissemination of critical information and enable power conservation in resource-limited sensor networks. The proposed protocol will provide secure andreliable ad hoc routing to optimize location-aware, sensor-equipped munitions or any smart sensor networks while supporting Quality of Service (QOS) criteria.A Geographically-aware reliable multicast protocol has commercial applications as well. Wireless communications service provides can use a geographically-aware reliable multicasting protocol that will be able to deliver information togeographically-specific regions. Also, federal and local law enforcement agencies may utilize sensor networks enabled with GeoWiReM to support undercover operations.