Energy optimization in cluster-based routing protocols for large-area wireless sensor networks

In large-area wireless sensor networks with hierarchical cluster-based routing protocols, the average number of clusters, k, and the transmission range for the control messages, R, significantly affect the network lifespan. We analyze energy consumption in depth as a function of (k, R), taking into account the energy dissipation of cluster head nodes and the member nodes, separately. To achieve joint optimization of (k_opt, R_opt), we adopt derivative-free Nelder�Mead Simplex method. Computer simulations have shown that our approach effectively reduces energy consumption of sensor nodes in the process of clustering and data transmission in large-area sensor fields. Our optimization can be applied to existing cluster-based routing schemes to maximize their energy efficiency.