Cluster formation techniques in hierarchical routing protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Abstract: Wireless sensors are an irreplaceable link in the chain of global networking today. There is almost no area of human activity where they are still not used, and they will be used in the near future almost everywhere. Wireless sensor networks consist of a large number of sensor nodes that are arranged (usually randomly) in an area. The main problem is the limited power supply. Sensors are usually powered by the battery which is not possible to replace. The lifetime of the network depends on the duration of battery power of sensor nodes. The largest part of the consumed energy goes for communication with the rest of the network. Therefore, the selection of good routing protocol is essential for the long life-span of the network. There are a large number of proposed protocols and they can be divided into several groups, depending on the approach to the problem. In this paper we present a family of hierarchical protocols, their common features and specific implementation, we will present advantages and disadvantages as well as possible directions of further development.