Time synchronization in wireless sensor metworks

Abstract

In this thesis, an enhanced synchronization algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks is proposed. This algorithm uses TPSN (Timing-sync protocol for sensor networks) as a base synchronizer and does modifications on it to achieve a better synchronization with a lower message overhead. Basically, there are three improvements that can be applied onto TPSN, which are clustering the network, chain synchronization among nodes and adaptive synchronization interval. In the first phase of the thesis, a simulation environment is provided for TPSN using pthreads on a Linux computer. This environment helps understanding the parameters that TPSN relies on and testing the algorithm in different simulated environments with different characteristics using the enhancements onto TPSN algorithm. In the second phase, ns2 simulator environment is used to get more precise results and test the modifications. Finally, latest modifications are done on TPSN and all the results are gathered from ns2.