A cluster-based architecture to structure the topology of parallel wireless sensor networks

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Network Engineering

Background:

• Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are self-configuring networks with mobile nodes and limited resources.
• Existing cluster-based WSN designs typically support only one node type per network.
• Application environments often require exclusive virtual networks for specific node types or data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an algorithm for structuring and managing coexisting wireless sensor networks with diverse node types.
• To enable control and management of individual network topologies within a shared environment.

Main Methods:

• Development of a cluster-based algorithm for WSN topology structuring.
• Description of the architecture, operation, and protocol messages.
• Real test-bench measurements to evaluate performance.

Main Results:

• The proposed protocol demonstrates low bandwidth consumption.
• The architecture proves to be viable and scalable for diverse WSNs.
• Comparative analysis with existing algorithms highlights performance advantages.

Conclusions:

• The developed algorithm effectively structures and manages multiple, heterogeneous wireless sensor networks in a shared space.
• The protocol's efficiency in bandwidth usage and scalability supports its practical application.