An energy efficient multi-channel protocol for wireless ad hoc networks

Abstract

The popularization of wireless technologies, combined with applications that require continuous connection and high transmission rates, has driven the quest for energy-efficient Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols. Means to improve network performance by exploring the availability of multiple communication channels has been explored in the literature. However, devising energy-efficient protocols, capable to perform the tasks of channel assignment and communication scheduling while improving network performance has been shown to be a challenging task. In this context, this paper proposes a channel allocation and communication scheduling protocol for wireless networks that minimizes both power consumption and communication time. The proposed protocol allows to maintain power consumption at minimum while being efficient in terms of communication time.