A Routing Optimization Based on Cross-Layer Design for Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs)

Multimedia applications are routed from source nodes via neighboring nodes to a sink in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs). However, the existing routing protocols in the WMSNs do not fulfill the quality of service (QoS) constraint yet for multimedia transmission. The WMSNs have specific characteristics such as multi-hop way, limited node capability and varying bandwidth, which can affect the quality of service of multimedia applications during the routing process. The best quality of service (QoS) is required by the multimedia applications consisting of high throughput, low end-to-end delay and low packet drop rate. A routing optimization based on the cross-layer design is proposed for multimedia transmission in the WMSNs. The cross-layer design utilizes H.264/Scalable Video Coding (SVC) and IEEE 802.11e Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) and has been implemented in Network Simulator 2 (NS2) simulation. The NS2 simulation indicates that the H.264/SVC video application has an average delay of 0.02 sec. Thus, the routing optimization has accomplished to deliver multimedia application successfully via Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSN).