EncounterManager

We expect to have more than one point-to-point connection type in a real environment. Android phones support Bluetooth, Wifi-direct but also Internet access via the mobile network. We also work with Long Range Wifi (Lora) modules that allows setting up your own urban wide mobile decentralized ASAP P2P system.

Each protocol type is management by its own software module. We have e.g. a BluetoothEngine in our ASAPAndroid lib.

There are at least two interesting tasks to solve in such a multi (ad hoc) protocol environment. Peers can connect over more than one point-to-point connection. It is a wast of resource to have two identical data exchanges over different protocols.

The second problem comes with ad hoc networks. Let’s call it flickering. Ad hoc connection have a certain communication range, like about 10 meters with Bluetooth. The range is highly sensible to the actual environment. That is not a problem for us.

Peers who are at the edge of this communication range could have the tendency to establish and loos the connection. An established connection would be basis of an ASAP encounter. But what, if this connection breaks down and is re-established a second later? We are talking about cellphones with limited battery power. We have to avoid this flickering effect.