Power management for throughput enhancement in wireless ad-hoc networks

A method for improving end-to-end network data throughput in wireless ad hoc networks by optimizing transmitter output power, comprising the steps of:

• a. setting the transmittance power of a first node such that the transmittance power is sufficient only to contact said first node's closest neighboring nodes;
• b. operating the node for a pre-specified period of time;
• c. computing end-to-end network throughput of said node when said pre-specified period of time has elapsed, and storing a first value, ηN−1;
• d. increasing the transmittance power of said first node such that a connectivity range includes at least one additional node;
• e. operating the node for a pre-specified period of time;
• f. computing a new value of the average end-to-end network throughput and storing this second value, ηN;
• g. comparing said first value to said second value
• i. if(ηN>ηN−1) then increase the transmittance power such that the connectivity range to includes at least one additional node and go to step h;
• ii. else reduce the transmittance power and connectivity range to exclude at least one node, and go to step h;
• h. comparing, at each pre-specified period of time, the end-to-end network throughput with the throughputs achieving greater and lesser transmittance power, and so long as the existing power level provides results that are superior to those obtained with greater or lesser transmittance power, not changing the transmittance power;
• i. periodically determining if a greater transmittance power achieves a higher throughput, then further increasing the transmittance power in order to discover a new maximum throughput;
• j. going to step h.