TEMPORAL TRANSITION NETWORK PROTOCOL (TTNP) IN A MOBILE AD HOC NETWORK

The mobile ad hoc network includes a plurality of wireless mobile nodes and a plurality of wireless communication links connecting the nodes together. The method includes building and updating route tables at each node by managing and controlling the application of either proactive or reactive route discovery and their respective associated processes to define and maintain routes in the network. A route is a set of links and nodes from a source to a destination. The method also includes collecting and storing route stability information at each node, predicting route stability over time based upon the route stability information, and switching to the other of the proactive and reactive route discovery and the associated processes when predicted route stability reaches a first transition parameter. Moreover, the method preferably includes switching back to the first one of the proactive and reactive route discovery and the associated processes when predicted route stability reaches a second transition parameter. Thus temporal transitioning of route discovery and associated processes in a mobile ad hoc network is provided.