Four-Layer Architecture Model for Energy Conservation in Wireless Sensor Networks

We propose a four-layer architecture model (FLAM) to obtain the potential energy savings for sensor nodes in large scale wireless sensor networks. The very first layer, the bottom layer is a network of a resource-constrained sensor nodes deployed in the field. The second layer is ad hoc network formed by resource-rich dynamic sink nodes, also knows as cluster sink nodes. The third layer consists of resource-rich static sink nodes, known as zonal sink also, responsible for data collection from cluster sinks of its zone. The fourth (top) layer posses a resource-rich flying sink. We call this sink as hawk sink and is responsible for data collection from zonal sinks. A cluster sink may be few hops away from a static sensor node and moves to the vicinity of sensor nodes to collect the data and continuously updates its zonal sink by propagating the collected data from the respective cluster. Each zonal sink buffers the collected data and propagates to hawk sink through query response mechanism when later enters the transmission range of the zonal sink. Hawk sink is the one, responsible for data transmission from network environment to the base station. FLAM approach is scalable, increases sensor life by allowing them to operate with a limited transmission range only and provides reduced delay as cluster sink continuously updates to zonal sink without query.