Dynamic duty-cycled MAC for wireless sensor networks with energy harvesters

Medium Access Control (MAC) for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is usually implemented by taking battery - operated sensor nodes. MAC for Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks (EH-WSNs) are of great interest to researchers due to its good network lifetime. MAC layer has an important role in the power saving mechanism of EH-WSNs. The paper proposes a MAC energy saving schemes by taking the exponential decision as the principle of operation. This Exponential Decision - MAC (ED-MAC) includes two proposed method by taking residual energy as the primary factor. In the first proposed method, Exponential Decision MAC Based on Dynamic Duty cycle Scheduling of current Residual Energy (ED-DSR) takes into account only the current residual energy and thereby adjusts the duty cycle of each sensor nodes dynamically. In the second method, prospective increase in the residual energy over time by each sensor node is estimated using Exponential Decision-Dynamic Duty cycle Scheduling based on Prospective increase in energy (ED-DSP) so that it can reduce off time more aggressively when possible and thereby achieves more energy savings. The scenario for EH-WSNs was simulated in NS2. Simulation results show that ED-MAC schemes have better performance than dynamic duty cycled Receiver Initiated Linear Decision MAC (RILD-MAC).