Pseudo-IP: Providing a Thin Network Layer Protocol
for Semi-Intelligent Wireless Devices

Kevin C. Almeroth         Katia Obraczka               Dante De Lucia
Dept of Computer Science  ISI                          Computer Science Department
University of California  Univ of Southern California  Univ of Southern California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106   Marina del Rey, CA 90292     Los Angeles, CA 90089-0781
almeroth@cs.ucsb.edu      katia@isi.edu                dante@usc.edu

In the near future users will be able to move freely and still have
seamless network and Internet connectivity.  We envision that the Internet 
of the future will interconnect mobile or stationary clouds into the 
existing IP infrastructure.  While many of the Internet protocols are 
immensely successful in traditional networks, we believe they will be 
inappropriate for communication among limited-capability devices in 
amorphous clouds.  The question we are trying to address is whether 
the network layer services provided by IPv4 and IPv6 are necessary and
sufficient for supporting heterogeneous devices in these highly
dynamic, arbitrarily dense environments.  The problem with an IP
infrastructure is that, for certain applications, it adds unnecessary
complexity.  The proposed research is based on the specification of a new 
network layer protocol for intra-network communication in clouds containing 
devices with limited processing and communication capabilities.  Our 
Pseudo-IP protocol is designed to operate among devices in the farthest 
branches/leaves of an internet while providing inter-network connectivity 
with other clouds and the existing IP infrastructure.  Our goal is to extend 
the scope of IP to environments containing devices that cannot handle the 
extra complexity introduced by routing, error detection/recovery, optional 
headers, and even addressing.  More intelligent devices interacting in the 
cloud will be responsible for interoperating with the existing IP 
infrastructure including IP-based devices that happen to be roaming locally.