Cluster-based Improvised Time Synchronization Algorithm for Multihop IoT Networks

Abstract

Achieving precise time synchronization among wireless sensor devices within Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks poses a significant challenge. Various approaches have been proposed to efficiently synchronize time in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) used in the IoT. However, these solutions typically involve extensive message exchanges to achieve synchronization, leading to notable communication and energy overheads. In this context, we introduce a clustering approach aimed at enhancing the Reference Broadcast Synchronization (RBS) protocol to suit large multihop IoT networks. This paper discusses existing cluster- based time synchronization methods and compares their effectiveness. Moreover, our proposed clustering approach seamlessly integrates existing time synchronization protocols, thereby enhancing both power efficiency and synchronization accuracy, which are specifically tailored for multihop IoT networks. To validate the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted emulations, which demonstrated a significant improvement in minimizing synchronization error by 78% compared to existing RBS methods, along with a 40% reduction in the power consumption of reference nodes. Overall, our proposed method yields satisfactory results with less overhead in scalable IoT networks.