Maximizing Lifetime of Broadcasting in Ad Hoc Networks by Distributed Transmission Power Adjustment

Broadcasting in wireless ad hoc networks can be implemented by assigning appropriate transmission power to devices, such that the resulting transmission ranges yield network connectivity. The strategy used for setting and updating transmission power has great influence on the lifetime of broadcasting. We present a distributed algorithm for maximizing lifetime. The algorithm performs periodic update of transmission power, taking into account the residual energy levels of the devices. A device having a short remaining lifetime attempts to reduce its transmission power, provided that the broadcast infrastructure can be maintained by increasing the power of some other devices for which the expected lifetime is longer. The algorithm does not break network connectivity between devices in the process of updating transmission power. Moreover, our algorithm is characterized by its small message and computational overhead. We present a simulation study to demonstrate the efficiency of the algorithm. Our results show that the algorithm is able to prolong significantly lifetime