On the lifetime of wireless sensor networks

TLDR

We derive a general lifetime formula for wireless sensor networks that is independent of network model, architecture, protocol, data collection initiation, lifetime definition, channel fading, and energy consumption, and use it to propose a medium access control protocol exploiting channel state and residual energy. The protocol, called the max‑min approach, maximizes the minimum residual energy across the network in each data collection. The formula identifies channel state and residual energy as key physical‑layer parameters affecting lifetime, providing a performance gauge and a guideline for protocol design.

Abstract

We derive a general formula for the lifetime-of wireless sensor networks which holds independently of the underlying network model including network architecture and protocol, data collection initiation, lifetime definition, channel fading characteristics, and energy consumption model. This formula identifies two key parameters at the physical layer that affect the network lifetime: the channel state and the residual energy of sensors. As a result, it provides not only a gauge for performance evaluation of sensor networks but also a guideline for the design of network protocols. Based on this formula, we propose a medium access control protocol that exploits both the channel state information and the residual energy information of individual sensors. Referred to as the max-min approach, this protocol maximizes the minimum residual energy across the network in each data collection.