Cluster Heads Election Analysis for Multi-hop Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Weighted Graph and Particle Swarm Optimization

Continued advances of wireless communication technologies have enabled the deployment of large scale wireless sensor networks. The sensors´ limited power makes energy consumption a critical issue. In single-hop wireless sensor networks, cluster heads election method based on residual energy can obtain better energy efficiency than the method in which cluster heads are elected in turns or by probabilities. Is it the same in multi-hop wireless sensor networks? In this paper we proposed and evaluated a routing optimization scheme based on graph theory and particle swarm optimization algorithm for multi-hop wireless sensor network. Our algorithm synthesized the intuitionist advantages of graph theory and optimal search capability of PSO. The result in multi-hop networks is completely different from that in single-hop wireless sensor networks. The result shows that there is very little difference from these methods. The reason is discussed in detail.