Stable Desynchronization for Wireless Sensor Networks: (I) Concepts and Algorithms

Desynchronization is one of the primitive services for complex networks because it arranges nodes to take turns accessing a shared resource. TDMA is a practical application of desynchronization because it allows node to share a common medium. In this paper, we propose a novel desynchronization algorithm using artificial force field called Multi-hop Desynchronization With an ARtificial Force field or M-DWARF and use it to solve TDMA problems in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). M-DWARF solves hidden terminal problems in multi-hop networks by using relative time relaying and improves resource utilization by employing force absorption. M-DWARF is suitable for use in WSNs because of its low complexity and autonomous operations. We implement M-DWARF using TinyOS and experiment it on both TelosB motes and TOSSIM. From our investigation, M-DWARF is the only desynchronization algorithm that achieves fast convergence with high stability, while maintaining channel utilization fairness. Moreover, we are the first to provide a stability analysis using dynamical systems and to prove that M-DWARF is stable at equilibrium. (This paper is the first part of the series Stable Desynchronization for Wireless Sensor Networks - (I) Concepts and Algorithms (II) Performance Evaluation (III) Stability Analysis)