FINDER: A D2D based critical communications framework for disaster management in 5G

Public Safety Network communications technologies are at crossroads with next-generation networks to render better solutions and applications that can manage disaster efficiently. The fifth generation (5G) network is poised to have a guaranteed network connection, even in the case of partial dysfunction of cellular infrastructure due to disaster. In this paper, we have designed a framework named FINDER (Finding Isolated Nodes using D2D for Emergency Response) to locate-and-reconnect the isolated Mobile Nodes (MNs) in the disaster zone, so that the damage to assets and loss of life can be minimized. If the cellular link is non-existent over a disaster, the MNs under the impaired Base Station (BS) switch to the Device-to-Device (D2D) communications mode, and a critical D2D network is formed. The MNs in the disaster zone can reach an active network through a neighboring BS or a Wi-Fi access point. A multi-hop D2D communications based on hybrid Ant Colony Optimization is adopted to increase the energy efficiency of individual nodes and the overall network lifetime. Further, dynamic clustering curtails the numbers of active participating nodes, and data aggregation shrinks the number of packets in the network. Assistance from the Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller at the BS benefits to have an intelligent and reliable connectivity to the MNs in the disaster zone. Our proposal FINDER is implemented using MATLAB, and the simulation results show that our framework extends the network lifetime with improved message delivery probability.