Exploiting reality with multicast groups: a network architecture for large-scale virtual environments

We describe a network software architecture for solving the problem of scaling very large distributed simulations. The fundamental idea is to logically partition virtual environments by associating spatial, temporal, and functionally related entity classes with network multicast groups. We exploit the actual characteristics of the real-world large-scale environments that are simulated by focusing or restricting an entity’s processing and network resources to its area of interest via a local Area of Interest Manager (AOIM). Finally, we present an example of how we would implement this concept for ground vehicles. We have begun design and construction of the AOIM for use with the NPSNET 3D vehicle simulator. NPSNET is currently the only Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocol compliant simulator using IP Multicast communications and is suitable for operation over the Internet.