DBR: Depth-Based Routing for Underwater Sensor Networks

Abstract

Abstract. Providing scalable and efficient routing services in underwater sensor networks (UWSNs) is very challenging due to the unique characteristics of UWSNs. Firstly, UWSNs often employ acoustic channels for communications because radio signals do not work well in water. Compared with radio-frequency channels, acoustic channels feature much lower bandwidths and several orders of magnitudes longer propagation delays. Secondly, UWSNs usually have very dynamic topology as sensors move passively with water currents. Some routing protocols have been proposed to address the challenging problem in UWSNs. However, most of them assume that the full-dimensional location information of all sensor nodes in a network is known in prior through a localization process, which is yet another challenging issue to be solved in UWSNs. In this paper, we propose a depth-based routing (DBR) protocol. DBR does not require full-dimensional location information of sensor nodes. Instead, it needs only local depth information, which can be easily obtained with an inexpensive depth sensor that can be equipped in every underwater sensor node. A key advantage of our protocol is that it can handle network dynamics efficiently without the assistance of a localization service. Moreover, our routing protocol can take advantage of a multiple-sink underwater sensor network architecture without introducing extra cost. We conduct extensive simulations. The results show that DBR can achieve very high packet delivery ratios (at least 95%) for dense networks with only small communication cost.

A Recent Study on Routing Protocols in UWSNs

“…As depth-based routing protocol (DBR) [13] uses depth information only which is more practical for UWSNs. However, depth information is not enough to restrict packets to be forwarded within a particular area.…”

Dynamic Routing Nodes For Underwater Wireless Sensor Network

“…The main advantage is that there will be less possibility that the data getting lost and the surface sink also have the storage of the data's received. The network attains the stability position only if every node on the network participates and contributes effectively for the data to reach the surface sink (Hai Yan, et al, 2010;Jafri, M.R., et al, 2013;Javaid, N., et al, 2013; Jian-feng yan, yuan-liu liu, 2011).…”

A Solution for Scalable Routing in Depth Divisions-Based DUSNs via Adding a Scalable Parameter to Control Depth Clusters: Creating an Energy Efficient and Low Delay NI-Independent Communication Protocol

“…An item in Q2 is a unique ID for each Figure 1. Showing the DBR routing protocol, DBR selects suitable nodes to cooperate in routing 1 .…”

“…Designing routing protocols is very important due to effectiveness of network layer on general performance of the network. A key routing scheme to apply in underwater sensor networks is Depth-Based Routing (DBR) protocol [1]. This protocol has excellent suitability for dense network application.…”