On the Information Propagation in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks Using Epidemic Routing

In this paper, we study information propagation in a 2D mobile ad-hoc network, where mobile nodes are randomly and independently distributed on a torus following a homogeneous Poisson process with a given density. Nodes in the network move following a random direction mobility model. A piece of information is broadcast from a source node to all other nodes in the network, using a Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) epidemic routing protocol. A distinguishing feature of the SIR algorithm, which leverages the mobility of mobile users, is that a relay node carries and forwards a piece of information for a specified amount of time. We first propose a metric fundamentally characterizing the information propagation in mobile ad-hoc networks. Then analytical results are derived for the probability that a non-zero fraction of nodes receive the information in the limit of large network size and for the expected fraction of nodes that receive the information. The analytical results are verified using simulations. The research provides useful insights on the design of mobile ad-hoc networks.