Minimizing Energy Consumption in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Multi-hop Relay Stations

Sensor nodes usually operate by using limited energy sources. In order to achieve efficient energy utilization in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), we need an effective network design approach. This paper presents a study of the optimal network design for minimizing energy consumption in continuous datagathering WSNs. We model the network design problem as an integer linear programming. Our key contribution is that the proposed models not only guarantee the network lifetime but also ensure the radio communication between the energy-limited sensor nodes so that the network can guarantee packet delivery from sensor nodes to the base station. Numerical experiments were conducted to evaluate and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in various network scenarios. Key-Words: Network design and optimization, Wireless sensor networks, Energy efficiency