Estimation of the optimal number of cluster-heads in sensor network

Abstract

A sensor network system consisting of a large number of small sensors with low-power can be an effective tool for collection and integration of data by each sensor in a variety of environments. The collected data by each sensor node is communicated through the network to a single base station that uses all collected data to determine properties of the data. Clustering sensors into groups, yields that sensors communicate information only to cluster heads and then the cluster-heads communicate the aggregated information to the base station. We estimate the optimal number of cluster-heads among randomized sensors in a bounded region. We derive solutions for the values of parameters of our algorithm that minimize the total energy spent in the wireless sensor network when all sensors communicate data from the cluster-heads to the base station. Computer simulation shows that the energy consumption reduce as the optimal number of cluster-heads for the proposed method. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.