An energy-aware and load balanced distributed geographic routing algorithm for wireless sensor networks with dynamic hole

Abstract

The increasing usage of wireless sensor networks in human life is an indication of the high importance of this technology. Holes in wireless sensor networks are non-operating areas that can happen for a variety of reasons, like natural obstacles and disasters. Detection and packet routing in the presence of holes have always been the main challenges of facing this technology. As a result, most of the research on wireless sensor networks has been concerned with the problem of routing through bypassing routing holes. Considering the fact that the hole detection method for transmitting data in wireless sensor networks has a considerable impact on the energy consumption of the network, this paper attempts to provide a solution in the field of routing with the aim of increasing the network lifetime. In this method, considering networks with a dynamic hole, a distributed algorithm is proposed that can quickly determine and update the hole boundary. According to the hole, the packets are guided along an escape path around the hole which can improve and extend network lifetime. Results of experimental simulation are compared with the well-known and successful routing methods in the wireless sensor networks. This comparison shows that the proposed method reduces the dead nodes by at least 11% and 8% considering the effect of the time and the number of the nodes, in turn. Furthermore, the network lifetime has been improved by 2.71% based on the effect of the time and 1.47% based on the number of the nodes.