A Novel RPL Algorithm Based on Chaotic Genetic Algorithm

RPL (routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks) is an important candidate routing algorithm for low-power and lossy network (LLN) scenarios. To solve the problems of using a single routing metric or no clearly weighting distribution theory of additive composition routing metric in existing RPL algorithms, this paper creates a novel RPL algorithm according to a chaotic genetic algorithm (RPL-CGA). First of all, we propose a composition metric which simultaneously evaluates packet queue length in a buffer, end-to-end delay, residual energy ratio of node, number of hops, and expected transmission count (ETX). Meanwhile, we propose using a chaotic genetic algorithm to determine the weighting distribution of every routing metric in the composition metric to fully evaluate candidate parents (neighbors). Then, according to the evaluation results of candidate parents, we put forward a new holistic objective function and a new method for calculating the rank values of nodes which are used to select the optimized node as the preferred parent (the next hop). Finally, theoretical analysis and a series of experimental consequences indicate that RPL-CGA is significantly superior to the typical existing relevant routing algorithms in the aspect of average end-to-end delay, average success rate, etc.