Distributed desynchronization algorithms are key to wireless sensor networks
as they allow for medium access control in a decentralized manner. In this
paper, we view desynchronization primitives as iterative methods that solve
optimization problems. In particular, by formalizing a well established
desynchronization algorithm as a gradient descent method, we establish novel
upper bounds on the number of iterations required to reach convergence.
Moreover, by using Nesterov's accelerated gradient method, we propose a novel
desynchronization primitive that provides for faster convergence to the steady
state. Importantly, we propose a novel algorithm that leads to decentralized
time-synchronous multichannel TDMA coordination by formulating this task as an
optimization problem. Our simulations and experiments on a densely-connected
IEEE 802.15.4-based wireless sensor network demonstrate that our scheme
provides for faster convergence to the steady state, robustness to hidden
nodes, higher network throughput and comparable power dissipation with respect
to the recently standardized IEEE 802.15.4e-2012 time-synchronized channel
hopping (TSCH) scheme.Comment: to appear in IEEE Transactions on Communication
