Multi: A hybrid adaptive dissemination protocol for wireless sensor networks

Data dissemination (routing) is a basic function in wireless sensor networks. Dissemination algorithms for those networks depend on the characteristics of the applications and, consequently, there is no self-contained algorithm appropriate for every case. However, there axe scenarios where the behavior of the network may vary a lot, such as an event-driven application, favoring different algorithms at different instants. Thus, this work proposes a new hybrid and adaptive algorithm for data dissemination, called Multi, that adapts its behavior autonomously in response to the variation of the network conditions. Multi is based on two algorithms for data dissemination that are also presented and evaluated in this work: SID (Source-Initiated Dissemination), a reactive algorithm where dissemination is started by the source nodes, and EF-Tree (Earliest-First Tree), an algorithm that builds and maintains a tree, in a proactive fashion, to disseminate data towards the sink.