Improving Link Quality by Exploiting Channel Diversity in Wireless Sensor Networks

A large percentage of links in low-power wireless sensor networks are of intermediate quality. To the best of the authors' knowledge, opportunistic exploitation is currently the only way to use these links. However, such exploitation requires overhearing which consumes a significant amount of energy. In this paper, they propose a new approach to exploit Intermediate Quality (IQ) links through channel diversity with a new protocol, called IQ Link Transformation Protocol (ILTP) that does not require overhearing. ILTP transforms IQ links into good links thus allowing one to exploit such links continuously rather than using them only opportunistically.