A discovery process for initializing ad hoc underwater acoustic networks

Abstract

Seaweb is an underwater acoustic wide-area network connecting autonomous, distributed nodes. Prior iterations of Seaweb relied on operator intervention to initialize and manually configure the network routes. This thesis implements a network discovery process that enables a field of spontaneously deployed, ad hoc nodes to auto-configure for networking purposes. Network routing is initialized as nodes in the network are discovered, with routes chosen according to comparative evaluation of a cost function for all candidate routes. The implemented network discovery process is tested using computer simulation and sea trial data. The resultant network routes obtained upon completion of the ad hoc network discovery process are compared with those derived from Dijkstra's algorithm. It is concluded that the network discovery process always produces a shortest-path route from a master node to any other discovered nodes in the network. Sensitivity studies on the route cost evaluation function are performed, and an alternative network discovery scheme is discussed.