Mohammad Rostami - Member of Young Researchers Club, Islamic Azad University, Dehaghan Branch,Isfahan, Iran,
Mohammadreza Forghani - Sama technical and vacatinal training college, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad branch, Isfahan, Iran,
Maryam Shamaei - Computer Group, Fereydan Branch,Islamic Azad University,Esfahan, Iran,
Mohammadreza Soltanaghaeikopaei - Department of Computer Engineering ,Islamic Azad University,Isfahan(khorasghan) branch, Iran,

An ad hoc network consists of wireless mobile equipment which connects to each other without any infrastructure, using connection equipment. The best way to form a hierarchical structure is clustering. Various methods of clustering can form more stable clusters according to nodes mobility. In this research we propose an algorithm, which allocates some weight to nodes based on factors, i.e. link stability and power reduction rate. According to the allocated weight in the previous phase, the cellular learning automaton picks out in the second phase nodes which are candidate for being cluster head. In the third phase, learning automaton selects cluster head nodes, member nodes and forms the cluster. Thus, this automaton does the learning from the setting and can form optimized clusters in terms of power consumption and link stability. To simulate the proposed algorithm we have used omnet++4.2.2. Simulation results indicate that newly formed clusters have longer lifetime than previous algorithms and decrease strongly network overload by reducing update rate

Mobile ad hoc networks, clustering, learning automaton, cellular automaton, battery power