Power Control Strategy for Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Cross-layer Optimization

Abstract

Cross-layer design was proposed in recent years, it was mainly used in network architecture design. Now it is widely introduced in wireless sensor networks. This paper focuses on cross-layer optimization with physical layer, MAC layer and network layer in wireless sensor networks, which is applied to sensor node power control. Based on maximum communication range of sensor nodes, several power control levels are designed. Transmission power of neighbor nodes is classified into different power levels. Neighbor nodes transmit data to central node with designed level of power according to distances. Central node exchanges information with neighbor nodes through cross-layer optimization. Simulation results show that cross-layer optimization for node transmission power control can greatly save node energy consumption, under the condition of nearly same average network throughput with no power control. The most can save energy up to 63.8%.