A Framework for Opportunistic Forwarding in Disconnected Networks

In this paper, we analyze the performance of a family of opportunistic forwarding schemes (the k-copy relaying strategies) over disconnected wireless networks. We introduce a classification of mobility models based on their dynamic properties, and characterize the M² (Marks-memoryless) class. Statistical tools are combined with numerical simulations to show that some of the most used mobility models in the literature fall within the M² class. A mathematical framework is provided for evaluating the performance of opportunistic forwarding schemes in the presence of M² mobility, and it is shown that the finiteness of the mean time necessary to deliver a message depends only on the mobility characteristics and not on the relaying protocol specification