Energy-Efficient Clustering Rumor Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

To develop an energy-efficient routing protocol becomes one of the most important and difficult key tasks for wireless sensor networks. Traditional Rumor Routing is effective in random path building but winding or even looped path is prone to be formed, leading to enormous energy wasting. Clustering Rumor Routing proposed in this paper has advantages in energy saving by making full use of three features—clustering structure, selective next-hop scheme and double variable energy thresholds for rotation of cluster-heads. Thus CRR can effectively avoid the problems that occur in RR and a more energy-efficient routing path from event agents to queries can be built. The performance between CRR and traditional RR are evaluated by simulations. The results indicate that compared with traditional RR, the CRR can save more energy consumption, provide better path quality, and improve the delivery rate as well.