Energy-balanced Multi-hop Uneven Clustering Routing Algorithm (MUCRA) For Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) integrating varieties of innovative and high technology are a bran-new platform of information acquisition and management, which expand the remote intercommunion capability between human and nature. As with specialty of limited node energy, massive network,high data redundancy, bad conditions and so on, the DLL(data link layer) of WSNs, which is different from conventional wireless broadband and Ad Hoc networks, needs to redesign routing protocols. Currently, among one of the clustering routing protocols that aim at WSNs specially, LEACH has become a hotspot owing to characteristics of low power and distribution.In this paper, firstly, concepts, features, structure and research background are introduced; and then typical planar and hierarchical routing protocols are classified including comparing performance of various protocols; thirdly, that is LEACH and its improved algorithms is detailed followed by analysing advantages and disadvantages. It is known through the comparison:clustering routing protocol fits WSNs with low power, distributed and self-organizing. Using multi-hop communications between clusters can reduce the distance, enhance the stability and improve the energy efficiency, but as the cluster head that is close to the sink node needs to forward large amounts of data, it is rapid exhaustion of energy that will conduct the failure resulting in "energy hole" phenomenon, which makes how to overcome this issue become a top priority.This article, based on the LEACH and its improved algorithms, puts forward a new Multi-hop Uneven Clustering Routing Algorithm (MUCRA). As applying the hierarchical clustering strategy, the signal is broadcasted in a certain radius by the cluster to decide the level of next network area. And reusing the layering information on the one hand as cluster radius parameters, the other as an ordinary node and a cluster head routing argument. Meanwhile, the area forms uneven clusters with the one closed to the sink node relatively small to save energy to transmit data, and generating multi-hop routing between head clusters' with data from the head forwarding to the sink node layer by layer. The simulation shows that this arithmetic compared with LEACH and EEUC, can effectively balance the load, ease the "energy hole", and extend the network life cycle.