LEACH-based communication network with a modified sleep protocol

The use of hierarchical structure in a wireless sensor network such as the Smart Grid can significantly improve monitoring networks through the use of data aggregation techniques. This reduces the processing at the central server as well as allowing for localized processing and decision-making at the nodes. However, existing routing protocols such as LEACH suffer from limited support for upstream data traffic and poor reception in areas far away from the sink. This study evaluates the performance of a multi-sink LEACH configuration with modified sleep protocol. Results show improvement in terms of better upstream traffic and wider reception of messages, compared to the traditional LEACH implementation.