Top-k query processing for replicated data in mobile peer to peer networks

In mobile ad hoc peer to peer (M-P2P) networks, since nodes are highly resource constrained, it is effective to retrieve data items using a top-k query, in which data items are ordered by the score of a particular attribute and the query-issuing node acquires data items with the k highest scores. However, when network partitioning occurs, the query-issuing node cannot connect to some nodes having data items included in the top-k query result, and thus, the accuracy of the query result decreases. To solve this problem, data replication is a promising approach. However, if each node sends back its own data items (replicas) responding to a query without considering replicas held by others, same data items are sent back to the query-issuing node more than once through long paths, which results in increase of traffic. In this paper, we propose a top-k query processing method considering data replication in M-P2P networks. This method suppresses duplicate transmissions of same data items through long paths. Moreover, an intermediate node stops transmitting a query message on-demand. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.