A Lightweight and Efficient Approach (LEA) for Hovering Information protocols

Keeping an event alive within a bounded area for a certain amount of time in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) is still an open issue in the literature. Existing approaches tackle this problem by using periodic beacon messages that can quickly saturate the network. In this paper, we propose a novel method called LEA: A Lightweight and Efficient Approach for Hovering Information protocols, which is unique in the literature. Basically, instead of using a periodic beacons, LEA can use any kind of data dissemination protocol and execute it periodically to inform the new vehicles that are arriving into the Hovering Zone about the event. We also propose an equation to calculate the repetition interval for the dissemination. An extensive set of simulation experiments were conducted and results show that LEA can outperform the existing beaconing approaches in terms of total number of transmitted packets while also sustaining a satisfactory relevant delivery ratio for the vehicles that will really forward the event. In addition, the use of a hovering optimized data dissemination protocol can improve even further the efficiency of this approach in terms of time needed for a vehicle to become informed once in enters the Hovering Zone.