DAlPaS: A performance aware congestion control algorithm in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

As Wireless Sensor Networks are evolving to applications where high load demands dominate and performance becomes a crucial factor, congestion remains a serious problem that has to be effectively and efficiently tackled. Congestion in WSNs is mitigated either by reducing the data load or by increasing capacity (employing sleep nodes). In either case due to the energy constraints and low processing capabilities of sensor nodes, congestion control and avoidance algorithms has to be kept as simple and efficient as possible while overhead must be limited. In this paper we propose a novel and simple Dynamic Alternative Path Selection Scheme (DAlPaS) attempting to face congestion by increasing capacity while attempts to maintain performance requirements. DAlPaS can efficiently and adaptively choose an alternative routing path in order to avoid congested nodes, by taking into consideration a number of critical parameters that affect the performance of a WSN while maintaining overhead in minimal levels. Simulation results show that DAlPaS algorithm can perform significant performance achievements over comparable schemes.