Synthesis of Generalized Ring Protocols Using Concepts of Special Relativity Theory

Mark-Oliver Stehr
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Monday, May 3 2004, 2:00PM
Lieb 120
Computer Science Department
Stevens Institute of Technology
 

Abstract


The design of reliable multicasting protocols that are scalable with respect to the number of participants and make efficient use of the available communication resources is a challenge that has been raised especially by the progress in wireless network technology and the increasing importance of collaborative computing applications.

In this talk we explore a dimension in the design space of protocols for reliable group communication that can be best described as concurrent and determinsitc, as opposed to sequential and nondeterministic. The underlying virtual topologies of our protocols have been proposed by C. A. Petri under the name "cycloids" and belong to the more general class of cyclic orders. This talk will also illustrate how concepts of special relativity can be useful in the design and in the adaption of protocol to key parameters such as the number of available broadcast channels in a wireless network.