Throughput optimization of wireless sensor networks in presence of Rician fading channel

We consider the problem of the optimal route selection in the presence of Rician fading channel. The variation in the signal strength due to fading is an overlooked fact in the wireless sensor networks. The conventional route selection strategies neglect the effect of fading and provide the low throughput routes for the data transmission. We consider the underlying dynamics of the wireless communication link and propose a framework to select the routes with optimal throughput in the presence of Rician fading channel. The link quality is estimated using the reception probability i.e. the probability of successfully received packets over a communication link. A route selection metric based on the reception probability of Rician fading channel is used and performance is compared with the conventional route selection metrics. The simulation results illustrate that the Rician reception probability based routes provide higher end-to-end throughput for data transmission in wireless sensor networks.