Distributed slot synchronization algorithm using average weighting for adhoc networks

In order to decrease the complexity of popular distributed slot synchronization algorithms for adhoc networks, a new method using average weighting is proposed based on Vicsek model, which is basic model of multi-agent systems. The slot starting time of each node is updated by using a simple local rule based on the average of its own slot starting time plus neighbors. Finally, all nodes have the same slot starting time and the synchronization of adhoc networks is achieved. The convergence of this method under different topology patterns is analyzed, and the result indicate that the method has good applicability and fast convergence rate.