Cayley Pseudo-Random (CPR) protocol: A novel MAC protocol for dense wireless sensor networks

With the rapid growth of wireless sensor technology, there is a need for MAC protocols that support efficient simultaneous peer-to-peer communications in large and dense wireless sensor networks. To meet such a need, we propose a MAC protocol that uses a novel channel assignment scheme based on the pseudo-random connection of a dense Cayley graph as an underlying graph. By utilizing all or most of the available frequency channels, the proposed protocol can support many, simultaneous peer-to-peer communications. Other features of the protocol include minimal collisions due to fixed channel assignments and a decentralized routing algorithm that avoids global time synchronization. The effectiveness of using Cayley graphs as the underlying topology for such frequency assignment is evaluated and compared with that of the Manhattan Street Network via a simulator with power model parameterized to CrossBow MICA 2 sensors.