Wireless sensor networks consist of small, low power devices that have limited memory, limited computing power, and that operate using batteries. Since most of the time the batteries of sensor nodes are unchangeable and nonrechargeable, the available energy in the batteries determines the lifetime of the sensor network. Therefore the battery energy of sensor nodes has to be very carefully and cleverly utilized. Additionally, it is also very important to balance the energy consumption of the nodes so that the network stay connected and functional for a long time. In this study, we present DSSP (Dynamic Sleep Scheduling Protocol), a centralized scheme for extending the lifetime of densely deployed wireless sensor networks by keeping only a necessary set of sensor nodes active. The proposed algorithm puts as much nodes as possible into sleep mode, while preserving coverage and connectivity. The algorithm is executed at the base station periodically. In this way, the network is reconfigured periodically, which also helps to a more even distribution of energy consumption load to sensor nodes. We evaluated our protocol via simulations and observed a significant increase in the lifetime, depending on the node density, while providing good coverage.

DATE: 12 March, 2007, Monday@ 16:40
PLACE: EA 409