Multiple paths protocol for a cluster type network

Nowadays we can access the Internet by carrying a portable computer and using wireless communication. The wireless network with personal handy phone system (PHS) and portable cellular telephone has only rates of tens of Kbps to a few Mbps. Compared with the cable network, the transfer rate cannot generally satisfy a highly developed communication service such as large file transfer and real‐time communications. This paper proposes a protocol, SHAKE, for sharing multiple paths in a cluster type network that is a kind of LAN in which some mobile hosts temporarily connect mutually. SHAKE provides the functions for composing a cluster type network, and dispersing traffic efficiently by measuring transfer rate and round‐trip time. As a mobile host has only a low transfer capacity for individuals to communicate with the outside, if whole capacities of other hosts which compose a cluster type network are shared, we can get larger transfer capacity and satisfy the required communication services. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.