A quadtree-based hierarchical data dissemination for mobile sensor networks

The envisioned sensor network architecture where some of the nodes may be mobile poses several new challenges to this special type of ad hoc wireless network. Recently, researchers have proposed several data dissemination protocols based on either some hierarchical structure mainly constructed by a source node or source/sink oriented dissemination tree to support mobile sinks. However, such a source-initiated hierarchical structure results in significant resource consumption as the number of source-sink pairs are increased. Additionally, stimulus mobility aggravates the situation, where several sources may build a separate data forwarding hierarchy along the stimulus moving path. In this paper, we propose a new data dissemination protocol that exploits “Quadtree-based network space partitioning” to provide more efficient routing among multiple mobile stimuli and sink nodes. A common hierarchy of cluster-head nodes is constructed where the data delivery to mobile sinks is independent of the current position of mobile stimuli. Therefore, the overhead needed for hierarchy (route) maintenance is lower. Simulation results show that our work significantly reduces average energy consumption while maintaining comparably higher data delivery ratio.     

Virtual region based data gathering method with mobile sink for sensor networks

To solve the hotspot problem in wireless sensor networks, a type of virtual region based data gathering method (VRDG) with one mobile sink is proposed. Network is divided into several virtual regions consisting of three or less data gathering unit. One or more leaders are selected in each region according to their residual energy as well as the distance to all of the neighbors. Only the leaders upload data to sink in data gathering phase that effectively reduce energy consumption and end-to-end delay. Moreover, the “maximum step distance” could be calculated out by nodes to find out the best transmission path to the leader which further balance energy consumption of the whole network. Simulation results show that VRDG is energy efficient in comparing with MSE, SEP and LEACH. It also does well in prolonging network lifetime as well as in enhancing the efficiency of data collection.

     

Exploring geographic context awareness for data dissemination on mobile ad hoc networks

The use of mobile software agents is a promising approach to implement services and disseminate data over ad hoc networks. This paper presents an analysis of mobile autonomous agents with different levels of intelligence that allow them to make usage of the positioning information with different complexity in a mobile ad hoc network aiming at efficient data dissemination. This information considers the nodes current and future locations, as well as the route used to reach their destinations, depending on the agents’ intelligence. Using this information, the agents decide their movement from node to node during opportunistic connections in order to accomplish their goals related to data dissemination and/or service provisioning. The analysis of this proposal is done in the context of a sensor network application, implemented by sensing services provided by mobile agents, which run on top of an infrastructure-less Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET). Simulation results are presented and discussed to support the proposed ideas.     

Sink-oriented tree based data dissemination protocol for mobile sinks wireless sensor networks

Wireless Networks - Data dissemination toward static sinks causes the nearby nodes to deplete their energy quicker than the other nodes in the field (i.e., this is referred to as the hotspot...     

Distributed trajectory design for data gathering using mobile sink in wireless sensor networks

Several studies have demonstrated the benefits of using a mobile sink (MS) to reduce energy consumption resulting from multi-hop data collection using a static sink in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, using MS may increase data delivery latency as it needs to visit each sensor node in the network to collect data. This is a critical issue in delay-sensitive applications where all sensed data must be gathered within a given time constraint. In this paper, we propose a distributed data gathering protocol utilizing MS for WSNs. The proposed protocol designs a trajectory for the MS, which minimizes energy consumption and delay. Our protocol operates in four main phases: data sensing, rendezvous point (RP) selection, trajectory design, and data gathering. In data sensing, a number of deployed sensor nodes keep sensing the target field for a specific period of time to capture events. Then, using a cluster-based RP selection algorithm, some sensor nodes are selected to become RPs based on local information. The selected RPs are then used to determine a trajectory for the MS. To do so, we propose three trajectory design algorithms that support different types of applications, namely reduced energy path (REP), reduced delay path (RDP), and delay bound path (DBP). The MS moves through the constructed path to accomplish its data gathering according to an effective scheduling technique that is introduced in this work. We validate the proposed protocol via extensive simulations over several metrics such as energy, delay, and time complexity.     

Multihop data gathering in wireless sensor networks with a mobile sink

Network performance can be improved by using a mobile sink (MS) to collect sensed data in a wireless sensor network. In this paper, we design an efficient trajectory for MS, collecting data from sensor nodes in a multihop fashion, with the aim of prolonging the network lifetime. Considering event‐driven applications, we present an approach to jointly determine the optimal trajectory for MS and data paths and transmission rates from source nodes to MS, without considering any rendezvous points. In these applications, an MS is supposed to harvest the data from source nodes in a given time‐slot. We first show that this problem is in form of a mixed integer nonlinear programming model, which is NP‐hard. Then, to achieve an approximate solution, we divide the mentioned problem into 2 simple subproblems. In fact, after determining an approximate zone for the trajectory of MS, the optimal data paths and transmission rates from source nodes to the MS are obtained through a mathematical optimization model. Finally, to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach, we compare the performance of our algorithm to an rendezvous point–based and also the state‐of‐the‐art approach in different scenarios.     

Rendezvous-based data dissemination for supporting mobile sinks in multi-hop clustered wireless sensor networks

In wireless sensor networks, a clustering-based technique is considered as an efficient approach for supporting mobile sinks without using position information. It exploits a Backbone-based Virtual Infrastructure (BVI) which uses only cluster heads (CHs) to construct routing structures. Since sensor nodes have constrained energy and are failure-prone, the effective design of both a clustering structure to construct a BVI and a routing protocol in the BVI is an important issue to achieve energy-efficient and reliable data delivery. However, since previous studies use one-hop clustering for a BVI, they are not robust against node and link failures and thus leading low data delivery ratio. They also use flooding-based routing protocols in a BVI and thus leading high energy consumption. Thus, in this paper, we propose a rendezvous-based data dissemination protocol based on multi-hop clustering (RDDM). Since RDDM uses a multi-hop clustering to provide enough backup sensor nodes to substitute a CH and enough backup paths between neighbor CHs, it can provide high robustness against node and link failures. By using a rendezvous CH, RDDM constructs routing paths from source nodes to mobile sinks without flooding in our BVI and thus can save energy of sensor nodes. By considering movement types of sinks, RDDM finds out a shorter path between a source node and a mobile sink through signaling only between neighbor CHs and thus can reduce the energy consumption. Analysis and simulation results show that RDDM provides better performance than previous protocols in terms of energy consumption and data delivery ratio.     

Decoupling data dissemination from mobile sink's trajectory in wireless sensor networks

We propose an efficient proactive data dissemination approach that allows a mobile sink to effectively gather a representative view of a monitored region covered by n sensor nodes by visiting any m nodes, where m << n. Moreover, the proposed strategy allows the mobile sink to follow any trajectory through the deployment region, thus decoupling the data dissemination management from the mobile sink?s trajectory. Index Terms?Random walks; proactive data     

Energy efficient path selection for mobile sink and data gathering in wireless sensor networks

Mobile sink (MS) has drawn significant attention for solving hot spot problem (also known as energy hole problem) that results from multihop data collection using static sink in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). MS is regarded as a potential solution towards this problem as it significantly reduces energy consumption of the sensor nodes and thus enhances network lifetime. In this paper, we first propose an algorithm for designing efficient trajectory for MS, based on rendezvous points (RPs). We next propose another algorithm for the same problem which considers delay bound path formation of the MS. Both the algorithms use k-means clustering and a weight function by considering several network parameters for efficient selection of the RPs by ensuring the coverage of the entire network. We also propose an MS scheduling technique for effective data gathering. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is demonstrated through rigorous simulations and comparisons with some of the existing algorithms over several performance metrics.     

Band-based geocasting for mobile sink groups in wireless sensor networks

This paper studies on delivery-guaranteed and effective data dissemination for mobile sink groups in wireless sensor networks. A mobile sink group denotes a set of tightly coupled mobile sinks for team collaborations such as a team of firefighters and a group of solders. The mobile sinks have a group movement feature. They thus randomly move in personal spaces as well as collectively move together as a single entity. To support such group mobility, previous studies provide circle-based protocols determining successive circular areas of a group continuously moving, and then propagate data in the areas by flooding. However, since a group is still moving during decision of each circle, they may cause asynchrony between circles and actual group positions. Eventually, it could harm reachability and energy-efficiency. We therefore propose a novel data dissemination protocol using motion properties of a mobile sink group: slowly varying and streamlike movement. By the slowly varying constraint, the protocol predictively and effectively delivers data to a group through a band of sensor nodes located in front of the streamlike trajectory of the group.     

An image processing inspired mobile sink solution for energy efficient data gathering in wireless sensor networks

Wireless Networks - This paper presents a gradient-based multi-hop clustering protocol combined with a mobile sink (MS) solution for efficient data gathering in wireless sensor networks. The main...     

SGDD: self‐managed grid‐based data dissemination protocol for mobile sink in wireless sensor network

The reduction of energy consumption in order to increase network lifetime is one of the most major challenges in the design of wireless sensor networks. During data dissemination, the sensors that are located in the sink's neighborhood are responsible to relay data to the other nodes; hence, their energy is exhausted expeditiously. Therefore, the idea of utilizing mobile sinks can be so advantageous to decrease energy consumption during data dissemination process. In this paper, we propose self‐managed grid‐based data disseminating protocol for mobile sink in wireless sensor networks by using the idea of constructing a virtual grid. In self‐managed grid‐based data disseminating protocol, sink and nodes map their geographical position to a virtual location. In order to increase the performance, we have employed a cell head for each grid cell. Cell heads are selected based on two parameters, centralization and residual energy. Our data dissemination protocol is simple and has low overhead to construct and maintain. Also, we have presented a new method for sink location update, which leads to the least cost in data transfer. Simulation results illustrate that by utilizing hierarchical functionality and determining an optimal size for grid cells, energy consumption is decreased, which leads to increasing network lifetime. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A review on rendezvous based data acquisition methods in wireless sensor networks with mobile sink

Wireless Networks - Solutions for energy hole problem in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been excessively explored using mobile sink (MS). Although, MS provides a considerable amount of energy...     

Network lifetime maximization for time‐sensitive data gathering in wireless sensor networks with a mobile sink

With the advances of more and more mobile sink deployments (e.g., robots and unmanned aerial vehicles), mobile sinks have been demonstrated to play an important role in the prolongation of network lifetime. In this paper, we consider the network lifetime maximization problem for time‐sensitive data gathering, which requires sensing data to be sent to the sink as soon as possible, subject to several constraints on the mobile sink. Because the mobile sink is powered by petrol or electricity, its maximum travel distance per tour is bounded. The mobile sink's maximum moving distance from its current location to the next must also be bounded to minimize data loss. As building a new routing tree rooted at each new location will incur an overhead on energy consumption, the mobile sink must sojourn at each chosen location at least for a certain amount of time. The problem, thus, is to find an optimal sojourn tour for the mobile sink such that the network lifetime is maximized, which is subject to a set of constraints on the mobile sink: its maximum travel distance, the maximum distance of each movement, and the minimum sojourn time at each sojourn location. In this paper, we first formulate this novel multiple‐constrained optimization problem as the distance‐constrained mobile sink problem for time‐sensitive data gathering. We then devise a novel heuristic for it. We finally conduct extensive experiments by simulation to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The experimental results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed algorithm is very promising, and the solution obtained is fractional of the optimal one. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An efficient data dissemination model for wireless sensor networks

Wireless Networks - In a wireless sensor network, one of the most important constraints on sensor nodes is their power source, which is a battery. Sensor nodes carry a limited and generally...     

WLAN-GPRS integration for next-generation mobile data networks

The ongoing wireless LAN standardization and R&D activities worldwide, which target bit rates higher than 100 Mb/s, combined with the successful deployment of WLANs in numerous hotspots justify the fact that WLAN technology will play a key role in wireless data transmission. Cellular network operators have recognized this fact, and strive to exploit WLAN technology and integrate this technology into their cellular data networks. For this reason, there is currently a strong need for interworking mechanisms between WLANs and cellular data networks. We focus on these interworking mechanisms, which effectively combine WLANs and cellular data networks into integrated wireless data environments capable of ubiquitous data services and very high data rates in hotspot locations. We discuss the general aspects of integrated WLANs and cellular data networks, and we examine the generic interworking architectures that have been proposed in the technical literature. In addition, we review the current standardization activities in the area of WLAN-cellular data network integration. Moreover, we propose and explain two different interworking architectures, which feature different coupling mechanisms. Finally, we compare the proposed interworking architectures, and discuss their advantages and drawbacks.     

EMS: Efficient mobile sink scheduling in wireless sensor networks

Sink scheduling, in the form of scheduling multiple sinks among the available sink sites to relieve the level of traffic burden, is shown to be a promising scheme in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, the problem of maximizing the network lifetime via sink scheduling remains quite a challenge since routing issues are tightly coupled. Previous approaches on this topic either suffer from poor performance due to a lack of joint considerations, or are based on relaxed constraints. Therefore, in this paper, we aim to fill in the research blanks. First, we develop a novel notation Placement Pattern (PP) to bound time-varying routes with the placement of sinks. This bounding technique transforms the problem from time domain into pattern domain, and thus, significantly decreases the problem complexity. Then, we formulate this optimization in a pattern-based way and create an efficient Column Generation (CG) based approach to solve it. Simulations not only demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm but also substantiate the importance of sink mobility for energy-constrained WSNs.     

Dynamic proxy tree-based data dissemination schemes for wireless sensor networks

In wireless sensor networks, efficiently disseminating data from a dynamic source to multiple mobile sinks is important for the applications such as mobile target detection and tracking. The tree-based multicasting scheme can be used. However, because of the short communication range of each sensor node and the frequent movement of sources and sinks, a sink may fail to receive data due to broken paths, and the tree should be frequently reconfigured to reconnect sources and sinks. To address the problem, we propose a dynamic proxy tree-based framework in this paper. A big challenge in implementing the framework is how to efficiently reconfigure the proxy tree as sources and sinks change. We model the problem as on-line constructing a minimum Steiner tree in an Euclidean plane, and propose centralized schemes to solve it. Considering the strict energy constraints in wireless sensor networks, we further propose two distributed on-line schemes, the shortest path-based (SP) scheme and the spanning range-based (SR) scheme. Extensive simulations are conducted to evaluate the schemes. The results show that the distributed schemes have similar performance as the centralized ones, and among the distributed schemes, the SR scheme outperforms the SP scheme.     

A myopic mobile sink migration strategy for maximizing lifetime of wireless sensor networks

Network lifetime maximization is challenging particularly for large-scale wireless sensor networks. The sensor nodes near the sink node tend to suffer high energy consumption due to heavy traffic relay operations, becoming vulnerable to energy depletion. The rationale of the sink mobility approach is that as the sink node moves around, such risk of energy depletion at some nodes can be alleviated. In this paper, we first obtain the optimal mobile sink sojourning pattern by solving a linear programming model and then we mathematically analyze why the optimal solution exhibits such sojourning pattern. We use the insights from this analysis to design a simple practical heuristic algorithm for sink mobility, which utilizes only local information. Our heuristic is very different from the existing algorithms which often use the traffic volume as the main decision factor, in that we consider the variance of residual energy of neighboring sensor nodes. The simulation results show that our scheme achieves near-optimal network lifetime even with the relatively low moving speed of the mobile sink.