TCRP: A tree-clustering prototocol for tracking mobile targets in wireless sensor networks

Mobility of nodes and sinks brings new challenges to large-scale sensor networks. In this paper we introduce TCRP, a Tree-Clustering Routing Protocol that provides scalable and efficient data delivery to mobile sinks and mobile targets in sensory networks. Each node detecting the presents of the mobile targets proactively constructs a tree structure which enables the mobile sinks to continuously receive data on the move and chases the mobile targets. A sink can move without reporting its location to the tree while receiving data updates successfully The new protocol is very beneficial for data-centric applications such as tracking mobile objects, smart farming, medicine and military applications. We have evaluated the performance of TCRP through simulation experiments. The results of simulation show that TCRP is scalable and energy-efficient. Moreover, TCRP is able to handle/track mobile targets and sinks efficiently compared with other existing protocols.