A Cross Layer Approach Network Evaluation of IEEE 802.15.4 for Mobile WSN

Abstract

Mobility in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), can have profound effect on the network operation.This effect is diverse according to several parameters that include: application diversity, network topography (topology), network connectivity and deployed node(s) or sensed event(s) location estimation. One major finding is that these networks suffer from control packet overhead anddelivery ratio degradation. This increases the network’s energy consumption. This work introduces a cross-layer operation model that can improve the energy consumption and system throughput of IEEE 802.15.4 MWSNs. The proposed model integrates four layers in the network operation: 1) application (node location); 2) network (routing); 3) medium access control (MAC); and 4) physical layers. The model employs a mechanism tominimize the neighbor discovery broadcasts to the active routesonly. Reducing control packet broadcasts between the nodesreduces the network’s consumed energy. It also decreases theoccupation period of the wireless channel. The model operationleads the network to consume less energy while maintaining thenetwork packet delivery ratio. Simulations have been carried out to check the efficacy of the proposed operation model .