Wireless Sensor Network: Link Quality Based Hierarchical Routing Algorithm for 6LoWPAN

Link Quality Based Hierarchical Routing Algorithm for 6LoWPAN

INTRODUCTION

Wireless sensor network (WSN) is one of the fastest growing areas in networking world today. In order to convert WSN from personal area network (PAN) into low power personal area network (LoWPAN), IEEE standard 802.15.4 was introduced. However, future WSNs would consist of thousands of nodes and these networks may be connected to others via the internet. Hence, IPv6 over LoWPAN (6LoWPAN) is defined by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a technique to integrate internet capability into WSN. 6LoWPAN provides a WSN node with IP communication capabilities by putting an adaptation layer above the IEEE 802.15.4 link layer for the packet fragmentation and reassembly purpose.

The 6LoWPAN concept originated from the idea that "the Internet Protocol could and should be applied even to the smallest devices," and that low-power devices with limited processing capabilities should be able to participate in the Internet of Things.

The arrival of 6LoWPAN allows for the development of IP-based applications for low-power wireless networks like sensor networks. Often there are unreliable radio channels or frequent node failure in the sensor networks and the question arises how 6LoWPAN-based applications can be hardened against such issues. 6LoWPAN consists of a huge address pool that is enough for the future Internet compatible devices.

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standardized the transmission of IPv6 over LoWPANs through 6LoWPAN and an adaptation layer was introduced with various mechanisms like header compression, packet fragmentation and reassembly above the logical link layer of IEEE 802.15.4 protocol stack. The reference model of 6LoWPAN protocol s...

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...le that the proposed algorithm requires very less time and hence becomes more efficient.

Figure 2 Routing Overhead

The above simulation result shows the routing overhead with the blue line depicting series 1 for the basic HiLOW protocol and red line for series 2 for the proposed link quality based HiLOW. The above result clearly shows a very low routing overhead in case of the proposed algorithm and proves that the proposed algorithm would provide a better routing structure.

Figure 3 Packet Drop Rate

The above graphical result depicts how the proposed HiLOW protocol has a lower packet drop rate as shown by the blue line series as compared to the red line series depicting the basic HiLOW. The low rate of packet drop shows that when routing is done with the best link quality more packets reach the destination and the efficiency of routing is greatly enhanced.