Sliding-Window Based Batch Forwarding using Intra-Flow Random Linear Network Coding

Batch forwarding using intra-flow random linear network coding (RLNC) has been used to improve the performance of a wireless network constituent of lossy links. However, existing batch-based forwarding mechanisms in this aspect can lead to a lot of bandwidth waste and thus reduced transmission efficiency. In this paper, we design a Sliding WIndow based Multiple batch forwarding mechanism (SWIM) using RLNC. In SWIM, multiple batches are allowed to be sent out simultaneously in a way that the forwarding process is managed by a sliding window. In SWIM, adaptive rate assignment is used to assign bandwidth resources to different batches based on their decoding states at the destination, in order to make full use of the bandwidth resources. Simulation results show that SWIM can achieve improved throughput performance as compared with existing work.