Reliable Data Delivery and Load Balancing in Improved Energy Efficient RPL Routing Protocol for Low Power and Lossy Networks

ABSTRACT The energy‐constrained nodes and tree‐like topology of Low‐Power and Lossy Networks (LLNs) frequently result in serious problems when energy bottlenecks occur. This occurrence affects the network performance in terms of node failure, lower connectivity, and higher energy consumption. This paper proposes a novel solution to these problems by integrating an Energy Efficient Multipath Routing Protocol (EM‐RPL) with a Load‐Based Energy Efficient RPL (LBEE‐RPL) protocol. To address energy bottlenecks, the proposed EM‐RPL protocol initiates the crucial mechanisms as subnode switching mechanism and an improved Trickle timer. The network's energy load is balanced by the subnode switching mechanism, which redistributes traffic away from overloaded nodes. The enhanced Trickle timer guarantees prompt identification and response to energy shortage conditions. This method enhances overall network performance while addressing the issue of data imbalance in energy consumption. An extensive simulation shows the proposed EM‐RPL significantly increases network lifetime and energy efficiency. Specifically, integrating these protocols leads to a notable reduction in power consumption and a rise in the network's operational lifespan. The important problem of energy management in LLNs is effectively resolved by this work, which offers improved performance and sustainability for a range of Internet of Things (IoT) and related fields applications.