Energy efficient non-uniform clustering division scheme in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks can be used to monitor the interested region by multi-hop communication. Since sensor nodes are equipped with energy-limited batteries, energy conservation in such networks is of paramount importance in order to prolong the network lifetime. In this paper, considering the constrained radio range of node, we propose an energy efficient clustering division scheme from the viewpoint of energy consumption. The difference between our scheme and previous schemes is that ours is a non-uniform clustering hierarchy. With the algorithm that is proposed by this paper, we can divide the cluster into multiple non-uniform concentric rings and obtain the optimal thickness of each ring. Motivated by the derived results, every sensor node can adjust its radio range for transmission. Our extensive simulation results indicate that the proposed non-uniform clustering division scheme outperforms the conventional uniform clustering division schemes in terms of energy consumption and lifetime. The future research that should be explored is also discussed finally.