HEEC: a hybrid unequal energy efficient clustering for wireless sensor networks

An important challenge in wireless sensor networks is energy conservation. Recently, several hybrid, dynamic and static clustering protocols have been proposed to solve this challenge. In this paper, a hybrid unequal energy efficient clustering is proposed to improve previous methods and increase lifetime of the network. In the proposed protocol, a new mechanism called clustering strategy is used. This mechanism, based on arrangement of nodes in a network, determines whether nodes should use information of their neighbors or should not use this information. This strategy helps to reduce overhead considerably. On the other hand, clustering is unequal so that nodes closer to base station (BS) have more energy to receive and relay data towards BS. In order to reduce overhead, clustering is designed as hybrid static–dynamic so that transmitting control message for clustering is not required at each round. Two new techniques are proposed for routing. First, assistance to cluster heads mechanism which allows cluster heads to get help from some of its member nodes which have suitable energy and distance to help sharing cluster’s load. In other words, a new intra-cluster multi-hop routing is proposed. Second new technique is discretion license which is performed in real time and allows the nodes to prevent transmissions of packets that may arrive at a destination in an incomplete form. In addition, inter-cluster routing use a new technique based on layering is proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed method has reduced network overhead, increased network stability, energy balance and lifetime of the network.