What is the first step in designing an application protocol for wireless sensor networks (WSNs)?

This paper introduces a novel notion in the application protocol design paradigm for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The traditional approaches of designing application protocols tend to focus primarily on developing the protocols first, and then using them on different topologies for implementation. We, however, argue that the logical topology of WSNs should be considered before designing application protocols. The argument is made on the basis that the logical topology of WSNs dictates the communication abstraction, the structure, and the hierarchy of the network. Thus, a well-designed logical topology helps in minimising the constraints of the WSNs and provides benefits to design various application protocols. In this paper we demonstrate how a well-designed logical topology influences the performances of protocols developed in WSNs. In doing so, the logical structure and the communication abstraction of the logical topology are used to design a number of application protocols, and their performances are evaluated.