Traffic Aware Scheme for Optimum Hierarchical Level in Wireless Sensor Network

Topology plays a vital role to increase the lifetime and scalability of wireless sensor network (WSN). Topology of the WSN can be controlled by the dynamic clustering technique. In this paper, we have proposed a dynamic clustering approach that determines the optimum number of hierarchical level based on the traffic pattern to improve the network lifetime. During the period of data transmission, the nodes which are nearer to the base station, have to do dual work of collecting the data from its own cluster and forward the data coming from the previous cluster head. Due to this, load on the proximity cluster head is more in compare with the farther cluster head. Hence proximity cluster head dies out early than the farther cluster head which will result in the failure of whole network. Our proposed approach will determine the optimum number of hierarchical level based on the traffic pattern at any instant to improve network lifetime. Optimum number of hierarchical level is important for balancing inter cluster and intra cluster traffic. We have compared the total lifetime of the network for varying traffic condition and found the best topology for different traffic condition that will result in maximum lifetime of the system.