Efficient clustering algorithms for self-organizing wireless sensor networks

Self-organization of wireless sensor networks, which involves network decomposition into connected clusters, is a challenging task because of the limited bandwidth and energy resources available in these networks. In this paper, we make contributions towards improving the efficiency of self-organization in wireless sensor networks. We first present a novel approach for message-efficient clustering, in which nodes allocate local “growth budgets” to neighbors. We introduce two algorithms that make use of this approach. We analyze the message complexity of these algorithms and provide performance results from simulations. The algorithms produce clusters of bounded size and low diameter, using significantly fewer messages than the earlier, commonly used, Expanding Ring approach. Next, we present a new randomized methodology for designing the timers of cluster initiators. This methodology provides a probabilistic guarantee that initiators will not interfere with each other. We derive an upper bound on the expected time for network decomposition that is logarithmic in the number of nodes in the network. We also present a variant that optimistically allows more concurrency among initiators and significantly reduces the network decomposition time. However, it produces slightly more clusters than the first method. Extensive simulations over different topologies confirm the analytical results and demonstrate that our proposed methodology scales to large networks.