Title: Achieving Dilution without Knowledge of Coordinates in the SINR Model,
Abstract: Considerable literature has been developed for various fundamental
distributed problems in the SINR (Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise-Ratio)
model for radio transmission. A setting typically studied is when all nodes
transmit a signal of the same strength, and each device only has access to
knowledge about the total number of nodes in the network $n$, the range from
which each node's label is taken $[1,\dots,N]$, and the label of the device
itself. In addition, an assumption is made that each node also knows its
coordinates in the Euclidean plane. In this paper, we create a technique which
allows algorithm designers to remove that last assumption. The assumption about
the unavailability of the knowledge of the physical coordinates of the nodes
truly captures the `ad-hoc' nature of wireless networks.
Previous work in this area uses a flavor of a technique called dilution, in
which nodes transmit in a (predetermined) round-robin fashion, and are able to
reach all their neighbors. However, without knowing the physical coordinates,
it's not possible to know the coordinates of their containing (pivotal) grid
box and seemingly not possible to use dilution (to coordinate their
transmissions). We propose a new technique to achieve dilution without using
the knowledge of physical coordinates. This technique exploits the
understanding that the transmitting nodes lie in 2-D space, segmented by an
appropriate pivotal grid, without explicitly referring to the actual physical
coordinates of these nodes. Using this technique, it is possible for every weak
device to successfully transmit its message to all of its neighbors in
$\Theta(\lg N)$ rounds, as long as the density of transmitting nodes in any
physical grid box is bounded by a known constant. This technique, we feel, is
an important generic tool for devising practical protocols when physical
coordinates of the nodes are not known.