A Dynamic Level-Based Routing Protocol for Energy Efficiency in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Wireless sensor network (WSN) is composed of a large number of sensors which collect information on the surrounding environment and transmit them to the base station. The sensor nodes are typically powered by non-rechargeable battery, resulting in that energy efficiency and maximization of network lifetime are great challenges. Sensor clustering is one of the key techniques employed to tackle them. In this paper we propose a novel dynamic level-based routing protocol based on the clustered WSN. Here the nodes in a cluster form a hierarchy with the root as the cluster-head (CH), while the level of each member node is decided based on the distance to the CH. Computer simulation shows that the proposed scheme effectively reduces and balances the energy consumption among the nodes, and as a result significantly extends the network lifetime compared to the existing schemes such as LEACH, PEGASIS, and TREEPSI.