Localized and load-balanced clustering for energy saving in wireless sensor networks

In this paper, the 'localized and load-balanced clustering (LLBC)' protocol is proposed for the energy savings and lifetime increases of wireless sensor networks. LLBC contains two approaches. One is improved cluster head rotation (ICHR) and the other is modified static clustering (MSC). ICHR uses the present cluster heads to select most energetic sensors as the next-round cluster heads and avoids the margin cluster heads being selected as cluster heads repeatedly. MSC is suitable when the network has a few very high energetic sensors. It uses the method of inter-cluster load balance to adjust the cardinality of each cluster as close to the average cardinality as possible. The simulation results with respect to FND (the time when a node dies first), HND (the time when half of the total nodes have died), and energy consumption show that the orders of effectiveness are: for ICHR and low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH)-C, before 250 rounds of cluster head rotations, there is no significant difference between the two, but after 250 rounds, ICHR>LEACH-C; and in general, LEACH-C>LEACH>MSC>mini variance>direct communication.