Enhancement of the performance of wireless sensor networks using the multihop multiantenna power beacon path selection method in intelligent structures

Abstract

Sensor nodes are the building blocks of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which may gather, analyze, and transmit various types of information to a certain destination. Data collection and transmission to the destination are the main responsibilities of sensor nodes at specified time intervals. However, one of the biggest issues with WSNs is the creation of energy-efficient wireless network algorithms. In this paper, a multi-hop multi-antenna power beacon path selection (MMPS) protocol is proposed. The proposed approach consists of a source, a destination, relays, power beacons generating radio frequency (RF) signals for energy harvesting, and eavesdroppers. We used physical layer security associated with energy harvesting to protect data from eavesdroppers without requiring higher layer data encryption and enhance the energy consumption of wireless networks. The signal’s broadcast strength must be high enough to allow for energy harvesting while being low enough to prevent eavesdropping. The process continues until the data reaches the destination. Comparing the performance of MMPS with those of conventional methods, MMPS enhanced the wireless network outage probability (OP) up to 99.7%, life time, energy consumption, protection from eavesdroppers, and more resistant to hardware impairments which increased the immunity up to 95%.