Dynamic resource allocation for wireless LAN interconnect

Abstract

Sustaining the intuitive commander and providing him with a "common view of the battlefield", and the ability to make decisions within the enemy's decision cycle and beyond his contact range, requires the ability to "Digitize the Battlefield" and to "Own the Spectrum"-enabling our forces to reliably communicate at will. Such a communications system needs to provide seamless, timely, robust, reliable, and survivable communications over widely dispersed geographical areas. Support must be provided for a vast complex of sensors as well as supporting command and control for multiple command layers. The Post Cold War/21/sup st/ Century Land Combat doctrine emphasizes mobility and C2OTM (Command and Control On The Move), requiring the communication network to dynamically respond to continuously changing network topology. Based upon previously published work in survivable communications networks, this paper discusses the evaluation of resource allocation schemes applicable to wireless LAN bridge interconnects. Specifically, the paper addresses allocatable channel design applicable to the distribution of available bandwidth to disadvantaged network users based on their immediate data transmission requirements. Key here is the size and number of channels to be included in the design, and the control and management of the available bandwidth within the constraints imposed by the tactical scenario. Simulation results are described which delineate the trade-offs leading to an architecture providing optimum performance.<>