Autonomous Virtual Mobile Nodes

Abstract

This paper presents a new abstraction for virtual infrastructure in mobile ad hoc networks. An AutonomousVirtual Mobile Node (AVMN) is a robust and reliable entity that is designed to cope with theinherent difficulties caused by processors arriving, leaving, and moving according to their own agendas,as well as with failures and energy limitations. There are many types of applications that may make useof the AVMN infrastructure: tracking, supporting mobile users, or searching for energy sources.The AVMN extends the focal point abstraction in [9] and the virtual mobile node abstraction in [10].The new abstraction is that of a virtual general-purpose computing entity, an automaton that can makeautonomous on-line decisions concerning its own movement. We describe a self-stabilizing implementationof this new abstraction that is resilient to the chaotic behavior of the physical processors and providesautomatic recovery from any corrupted state of the system.