Advancement optimization in multihop wireless networks

In this paper, we consider advancement as the metric to be used in making routing decisions. The advancement provided by a relay node is defined as the difference between the distance of the transmitting node to its intended destination, minus the distance between the relay node and the destination, multiplied by the probability of a successful transmission from the transmitting node to the relay. By analysis, we provide results about the advancement as a function of the relay´s location, as well as the average optimum advancement for a given relay population. Our results are useful in making routing decisions where one would like to choose the next hop so as to minimize the remaining distance to the final destination. This metric can also be incorporated as part of more sophisticated routing schemes, which take into account other considerations, e.g., energy or delay.