Modeling In-Network Processing and Aggregation in Sensor Networks

The rapid advances in processor, memory and radio technology have enabled the development of distributed networks of sensor nodes capable of sensing and communicating using wireless media. The basic operation in sensor networks is the systematic gathering and transmission of sensed data to the end-user. The severe energy constraints and limited computing capabilities of the sensors present major challenges to its design. In this paper, I propose two new protocols DEEPADS (Distributed Energy-efficient Protocol for Aggregation of Data in Sensor Networks) and C-DEEPADS (Clustered-DEEPADS) that maximize the lifetime of the sensor network. Simulation results show that the protocols perform better than the existing approaches: Directed diffusion, LEACH, PEDAP and PEDAP-PA. The two-tier clustering approach C-DEEPADS is optimal in terms of maximizing the system lifetime as well as reducing the end-to-end latency. Index Terms Sensor Networks, In-Network Processing, Data Aggregation, Energy-Efficient Algorithms