An Energy Efficient Leader Election Protocol for Radio Network with a Single Transceiver

In this work we present an energy efficient leader election protocol for anonymous radio network populated with n mobile stations. Previously, Nakano and Olariu have presented a leader election protocol that terminates, with probability exceeding 1 − f ( f ≥ 1), in log log n + o(log log n) + O(log f ) time slots [14]. As the above protocol works under the assumption that every station has the ability to transmit and monitor the channel at the same time, it requires every station to be equipped with two transceivers. This assumption, however, is unrealistic for most mobile stations due to constraints in cost, size, and energy dissipation. Our main contribution is to show that it is possible to elect a leader in an anonymous radio network where each station is equipped with a single transceiver. Quite surprisingly, although every station has only one transceiver, our leader election protocol still runs, with probability exceeding 1 − f ( f ≥ 1), in log log n + o(log log n) + O(log f ) time slots. Moreover, our leader election protocol needs only expected O(n) total awake time slots, while Nakano and Olariu’s protocol needs expected O(n log log n) total awake time slots. Since every leader election protocol needs at least Ω(n) awake time slots, our leader election protocol is optimal in terms of the expected awake time slots. key words: adhoc networks, collision detection, distributed algorithms, randomized algorithms