Alternative Cluster Head Selection Protocol for Energy Efficiency in Wireless Sensor Networks

The traditional cluster routing method is a typical method for enhancing an energy efficiency, which selects cluster head in order to send the aggregated data arriving from the nodes in cluster to a base station. However the major challenges are the equal distribution of each cluster over the whole sensor network and the energy dissipation caused by the frequent information exchange between selected cluster head and nodes in the cluster in every setup phase of cluster formation.In this study, in order to configure the optimum distribution of cluster throughout the sensor network, cluster head is alternatively selected using the information such as direction information obtained from upper level cluster head, distance among nodes in the cluster, residual energy and density. In addition, this study suggests the modified cluster head selection scheme which uses the conserved energy in the steady-state phase by reducing unnecessary communications of unchanged nodes between selected cluster head and previous cluster head in the setup phase, and thus prolongs the network lifetime and provides equal opportunity for being cluster head.