Analysis of per-node traffic load in multi-hop wireless sensor networks

  • Authors:

  • Quanjun Chen;Salil S. Kanhere;Mahbub Hassan

  • Affiliations:

  • School of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia;School of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia;School of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

  • Venue:
  • IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications
  • Year:
  • 2009

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.01

Visualization

Abstract

The energy expended by sensor nodes in data communication makes up a significant quantum of their total energy consumption. Consequently, a mathematical model that can accurately predict the communication traffic load of a sensor node is critical for designing efficient sensor network protocols. In this paper, we present an analytical model for estimating the per-node traffic load in a multi-hop wireless sensor network. We consider a typical scenario wherein, the sensor nodes periodically sense the environment and forward the collected samples to a sink using greedy geographic routing. The analysis incorporates the idealistic circular coverage radio model as well as a realistic model, log-normal shadowing. Our results confirm that irrespective of the radio model, the traffic load generally increases as a function of the node's proximity to the sink. However, in the immediate vicinity of the sink, the two radio models yield quite contrasting results. The ideal radio model reveals the existence of a volcano region near the sink, where the traffic load drops significantly. On the contrary, with the log-normal shadowing model, the opposite effect is observed, wherein the traffic load actually increases at a much higher rate as one approaches the sink, resulting in the formation of a mountain peak. The results from our analysis are validated by extensive simulations.