Energy efficient network protocol for wireless sensor networks

摘要

An "on-demand" approach for a routing protocol for a wireless network to achieve balanced energy consumption among all participating nodes, wherein nodes periodically, the period preferably depending on the routing responsibility of the node, transmit messages indicating their routing responsibility, the number of downstream nodes associated with that node and the number of hops to the main node, said messages are used by other nodes to determine where to join the network. The nodes also broadcast a message to downstream nodes if their link to an upstream node is comprised informing them that a repair process is underway, said repair process being finding another node in the network to work as the upstream node. The nodes also enter a low power state when they have not sent data for a period of time based on the number of hops between the node and the main node. Also the nodes transmit routing update information after a time period dependent on the number of hops between the node and the main node following a change to the routing.