Cooperative Packet Forwarding in Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper focuses on the packet forwarding problem in sensor networks and provides a solution with the method of Game theory. It designs a system model for packet forwarding and derives the node´s Pareto optimal utility. Further, it proposes a POUPF algorithm which propels the nodes to operate at the Pareto optimal utility and constitute a Nash Equilibrium. The simulation results verify that POUPF assures the nodes to achieve the Pareto optimal utility by stimulating cooperation; deviation at any one node will decrease utilities of all related nodes.