Power-Optimized Topology Formation and Configuration in Bluetooth Sensor Networks: An Experimental Approach

Low power consumption is a critical issue in wireless sensor networks. To achieve it, a number of arguments exist in favor of ad-hoc architectures and communication protocols, with high power optimization potential. These architectures, however, lack interoperability, as opposite to standardized wireless protocols. In this paper we present and validate experimentally a variable-granularity power model of Bluetooth and apply it to solve variable-complexity power optimization problems, with the goal of making the protocol viable for wireless sensor network scenarios. Among such optimizations, a set of heuristic rules is derived to build power-optimal Bluetooth scatternet topologies, which unlike most Bluetooth topology formation schemes stem directly from experimental evidence.