Field-of-view based hierarchical clustering to prolong network lifetime of WMSN with obstacles

Evolution of very low-cost hardware, viz. low-resolution CMOS cameras and microphones, facilitating the retrieval of multimedia content from the environment, has prompted the conception of wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs). Sensor nodes´ energy consumption is still one of the main concerns while improving the network lifetime of the network and clustering has been proved an important tool in this regard. However, the directionally constrained sensing nature of nodes in one type of WMSN turned the routing solutions of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) inapplicable for WMSN. This paper proposes an energy-saving hierarchical clustering based on overlapping field-of-views (FoVs) of nodes in WMSN in presence of arbitrarily located obstacles within the network area. Performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated through simulation primarily to analyze the effect of obstacle in network area over clustering. Finally the efficacy of the scheme is measured in terms of network lifetime where results clearly show the present scheme´s supremacy compared to one FoV based clustering with no hierarchy and the other with no clustering at all.