Game Theoretic Strategies That Promote Cooperation in Wireless Networks

Abstract

Energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important in wireless networks. This is emphasized by the emergence of heterogeneous networks which feature devices with low-power capabilities like sensors. We develop a game-theoretic framework to investigate the effect of cooperation on the energy efficiency in wireless networks. Most present approaches address the issue of energy efficiency in communication networks by using complex algorithms to enforce cooperation in the network, followed by extensive signal processing at the network nodes. Instead, we address cooperative communication scenarios which are governed by simple, evolutionary-like, local rules, and do not require strategic complexity of the network nodes. The approach is motivated by recent results in evolutionary biology which suggest that cooperation can emerge in Nature by evolution i. e. can be favoured by natural selection, if certain mechanism is at work. As result, we are able to show by experiments that cooperative behaviour can indeed emerge and persist in wireless networks, even if the behaviour of the individual nodes is driven by selfish decision making.