A Game-Based Interaction Scheme among Mobile Nodes in Wireless Access Networks

In order to curb cheating behaviors of mobile nodes in wireless access networks when they relay data each other, a forwarding policy game scheme is presented in this paper. It consists of a method based on the enforcement of punishments by neighboring nodes and a method based on the enforcement of punishments by the system. The scheme makes good use of the data flow direction in wireless access networks, takes account of the rational nodes' contribution to the system and the desire for future return, and suppresses the selfish nodes' cheating behavior through reducing their future payoff expectations and exploiting their fear of punishments. The former method in the scheme can achieve a better result of restraining cheating behaviors with a less value of punishment parameter, but it is difficult to punish successfully the cheating nodes when they frequently replace their neighboring nodes. Although the latter method completely prevents cheating motivation with a more value of punishment parameter, it can make cheating nodes have no way to escape being punished. In simulation and analysis, the reasonable parameter values are obtained through integrating the two methods, which can both moderately punish the cheating nodes and effectively reduce the cheating occurrence ratio and improve the successful packet delivery ratio.