Multihop Cluster-Based Architecture for Sparse Wireless Sensor Networks

Cluster-based architectures are one of the most practical solutions in order to cope with the requirements of large-scale WSNs. In this paper a new cluster-based architecture for sparse WSNs is introduced, the key issue of the solution presented is the multihop approach that is followed both in the communication from sensors to cluster-heads and from cluster-heads to the sink. Intercluster multihop communication allows the deployment of sparse WSNs in which cluster-heads can not communicate directly to the sink or to other cluster-heads. Results show that the total information forwarded decreases if compared to a flat topology allowing to increase either the size of the network or the battery duration.