An Improved LEACH Protocol for Optimizing Cluster Head Selection and In-cluster Selection

The LEACH protocol ′ s selection of cluster heads neglects critical factors such as node density, energy levels, and distance. This oversight can lead to the selection of low-energy cluster heads, resulting in premature aging across the entire network. To address this issue, an enhanced version of LEACH has been proposed. This protocol initially employs the root mean square (RMS) of distance within the energy consumption model to determine the optimal number of cluster heads. Additionally, it integrates a spacing operator , a residual energy operator, and a node density operator, all derived from energy consumption metrics, to refine the threshold function. Furthermore, in selecting nodes for cluster inclusion, three criteria are considered: the communication radius of each node, the energy available for allocation by the nodes within the cluster, and the distance between the cluster head and the base station. A cost function is subsequently established, allowing for the assignment of nodes to the appropriate cluster based on the calculated optimal value. Simulation experiments indicate that when network node mortality reaches 90% , the cycle numbers of LEACH-enhance increase by 69. 7% , 68. 3% , 33. 4% , and 30. 5% compared to LEACH-improve, LEACH-E, LEACH-OR, and LPLL-LEACH, respectively. Furthermore, these improvements confirm that the energy balance associated with the LEACH-enhance algorithm is superior, particularly in terms of cluster head selection and node entry.