A Survey on Medium Access Control Protocols based on Synchronous Duty Cycle Approach in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are new generation of wireless networks which have many potential applications and unique challenges. Some of their most important problems are their limited resources, independent and autonomous operation and dynamic topology. Also, maximum of energy consumption into these networks is occurred when data transmission. In recent decade, researchers have been trying to improving the efficiency of these networks; such as improving the existent protocols and presenting new protocols, increasing the battery capacity, chip designing and radio equipment. In attention to the many applications and constraints of WSNs, designing appropriate protocols for signaling, Medium Access Control (MAC) and data routing have particular importance. In sensor nodes, the radio equipment are most energy consumption part; thus, energy management and appropriate usage of radio in WSNs is necessary. Data link layer operations such as MAC control using of the radio equipment. Therefore, the MAC methods of WSNs should doing following operations: organizing and controlling access to the transmission medium and having efficient energy consumption. The purpose of this paper is discussing on popular Synchronous Duty Cycle (SDC) based MAC protocols of WSNs. It leads to providing possibility of extending them; also, developing and designing new MAC protocols for WSNs. Finally, introducing and designing appropriate MAC protocols lead to energy efficiency and prolonged network lifetime.