Survey on Data Gathering Approaches in Wireless Sensor Networks

Objective: To study the diverse data gathering approaches and issues involved in wireless sensor networks. Method: This study deals with traditional cluster architecture, challenges in clustering, bibliographical survey on numerous data gathering approaches based on the sink deployment such as cluster based data gathering, mobile element data gathering and its diversification. The most recent data and references have been further examined so as to concentrate key data and mapped into particular subsections. Findings: Based on the sink deployment, data gathering approaches are classified as static sink and mobile sink data gathering. In static sink data gathering approach, because of multi-hop communication, nodes near the sink depletes its energy very quickly. It makes the network unreachable. In Mobile Element (ME) data gathering, ME visits each sensor node in its transmission range and collects the information via single-hop communication. It results in delayed data gathering. It also gives packet loss due to smaller memory in the sensor node. Communication range and memory size of the sensor node, speed and traversal pattern of the mobile element play a vital role in determining the performance of wireless sensor network.