Etiquette Protocol for Ultra Low Power Operation in Sensor Networks

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a novel Etiquette protocol for enabling extremely energy-efficient communication among nodes in a multi-hop sensor network. Our key idea for energy efficiency is to allow dynamic, flexible scheduling of inter-node communication, thereby minimizing energy wasted due to idle-listening. Scheduling communication is commonly used in single-hop networks for significant energy savings (e.g. GSM). However, scheduling communication is a hard problem in a multi-hop network where packet load may not only vary in different parts of the network, but it may also fluctuate over time. The proposed Etiquette protocol allows nodes to schedule their communication in a completely distributed manner, while also allowing them the ability to change their communication schedule in response to the fluctuating packet load in the network. Etiquette protocol allows many-to-many communication, including ability to perform local broadcast. Our simulation results show that Etiquette protocol significantly reduces the average energy expended in delivering each bit as compared to S-MAC. We show that Etiquette protocol allows a network designer to trade increased latency for reduction in energy consumption. The proposed protocol is simple and intuitive.

One-elevator-stop description:

A simple and distributed link-layer protocol for flexible and dynamic scheduling in a multi-hop network. It is based on the analogy of a Teaching Assistant holding office hours to allow her students to communicate with her. Etiquette protocol performs much better than S-MAC in terms of energy consumed per delivered bit.

PhD Thesis:

Samir Goel, Etiquette protocol for ultra low power operation in energy constrained sensor networks, Rutgers University, May 2005. [PDF]

Talk:

• (ppt|html) Most recent talk (March, 2005)

• (ppt|html|pdf) WINLAB Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) Meeting, Research Review, November 18, 2004

• (ppt|html) At Sensor Networking Group Meeting, October, 2004

Recent Addition:

• Performance comparison with S-MAC and T-MAC 

• Network energy consumption maps for Etiquette, S-MAC, and T-MAC clearly shows the difference in the working of three protocols

References:

• Samir Goel and Tomasz Imielinski, Etiquette Protocol for Ultra Low Power Operation in Sensor Networks. Submitted for publication to ACM Transactions on Sensor Networks (March 2005).

• Samir Goel and Tomasz Imielinski, Etiquette Protocol for Ultra Low Power Operation in Sensor Networks. Technical Report DCS-TR-552, Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University, April 2004. [PS][PDF]  

Ongoing work:

• A more thorough performance analysis would soon be available as Technical Report DCS-TR-571, Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University, April 2005.

• Preparing NS-2 simulation code for Etiquette and T-MAC for public release