A Connectivity Enhancement Scheme Based on Link Transformation in IoT Sensing Networks

Large-scale and heterogeneity of the Internet of Things (IoT) sensing networks introduce a big challenge to device connectivity. There exist some isolated nodes in randomly deployed IoT sensing networks running on a tree-typed topology due to limitations of some network parameters, which reduces network connectivity. In this paper, a connectivity enhancement scheme for the sensing networks of the IoT is proposed based on link transformation. Under constraints of network depth and the number of child nodes, we boost capability of an in-network node to connect more isolated nodes by reducing its or ancestors’ depth. Furthermore, three-level node shifting is utilized to take full advantage of network locality, thus highly improving ability of a potential parent node to accept connection request of an isolated node. Finally, when failing to reduce depth of a node and disabling to shift out a child node of a parent node, the scheme exploits node swapping to improve present link status, thus enabling further some isolated nodes to join into the sensing networks. Our simulation results show that the proposed scheme can raise proportion of joined nodes and effectively enhance connectivity of the sensing networks in the IoT.