Energy Efficient, Chain Based Clustering Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper we try to improve the LEACH [1] protocol by implementing a chain among the cluster head (CH) nodes. Initially, the clusters are formed and the sensor nodes are kept under any one of the cluster heads according to the LEACH protocol. In LEACH, after sensing the environment, all the sensor nodes transmit the sensed data to its own CH at their time schedule. The CHs fuse all data and send them to base station (BS). The BS get information from all the cluster heads. In our approach, all the CHs form a chain among themselves and only one CH (called leader) nearest to BS sends data to this base station by implementing the concept of PEGASIS [2] protocol. This chain is started from the farthest CH from BS and ending at CH nearest to BS. Each CH gets data from its previous CH in the chain, fuses its own data and sends it to its next CH in the chain. The CH, nearest to BS within this chain only sends data to BS. LEACH, a clustering based protocol uses randomization among the CHs to distribute the energy load among the sensors and thus it reduces energy dissipation. In our protocol, in addition to this energy reduction, the CHs decrease the data transmission and energy among them by incorporating a chain based clustering approach.