Time synchronization problem of wireless sensor network using maximum probability theory

Abstract

Synchronizing time between the sensors of wireless sensor network has vital importance. It helps in maintaining a consistent and reliable frame of time across the network. Two clocks are stated to be synchronized when their frequency source runs with equal rate and their offsets are set identical. Basically, due to the manufacturing difference there is slight variation in their clock oscillator which affects the degree of frequency source and accuracy. Therefore this leads to the problem of synchronizing time between the sensor clocks. To attain time synchronization in a network typical contention-based message passing techniques are used. In this paper two-way message passing scheme is utilized. It proposes a statistical tool based on the maximum probability theory for selecting the reference clock offset for time synchronization protocols. It also proposes a subset selection algorithm to support the proposed statistical tool. The results obtained consist of the selection of most probable estimate for clock offset. The proposed algorithm utilizes the two-way message passing scheme for the exchange of timing messages within the network. The proposed algorithm is compared with the existing algorithms for estimation of clock offset. It was observed that the proposed works gives better results in terms of efficiency i.e. 99.8% efficient. 2018, The Society for Reliability Engineering, Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM), India and The Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden.