Three-layer architecture model (TLAM) for energy conservation in wireless sensor networks

We propose a three-layer architecture model (TLAM) for wireless sensor networks. The first layer (bottom layer) consists of a network of resource-constrained sensor nodes deployed in the field. The second layer contains a set of resource-rich dynamic sink nodes forming an ad hoc network. The sinks at layer second are responsible to monitor and collect data from a region, called cluster. So the sinks at second layer are also knows as cluster sinks. At the third layer, there is a resource-rich static sink, known as zonal sink also, responsible for data collection from cluster sinks. A cluster sink may be few hops away from a static sensor node and moves to the vicinity of sensor nodes to collect the data. Each cluster sink continuously updates the zonal sink by propagating the collected data from the respective cluster. The zonal sink buffers the collected data and propagates to base station. Zonal sink is the one, responsible for data transmission from network environment to the base station, where the data is processed for further use. TLAM approach is robust, increases sensor life by allowing them to operate with a limited transmission range only and provides reduced delay as cluster sink continuously updates to zonal sink without query.