Distributed Connectivity Control of Mobile Networks

Control of mobile networks raises fundamental and novel problems in controlling the structure of the resulting dynamic graphs. In particular, in applications involving mobile sensor networks and multi-agent systems, a great new challenge is the development of distributed motion algorithms that guarantee connectivity of the overall network. In this paper, we address this challenge using a novel control decomposition. First, motion control is performed in the continuous state space, where nearest neighbor potential fields are used to maintain existing links in the network. Second, distributed coordination protocols in the discrete graph space ensure connectivity of the switching network topology. Coordination is based on locally estimates of the abstract network topology by every agent as well as distributed auctions that enable tie breaking whenever simultaneous link deletions may violate connectivity. Integration of the overall system results in a distributed, multiagent, hybrid system...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: TROB
• Authors: Michael M. Zavlanos, George J. Pappas
• Keywords: Mobile Sensor Networks, Neighbor Potential Fields, Network Topology, TROB 2008