2009 International Conference on Communications and Mobile Computing

Research on Optimal Coverage Problem of Wireless Sensor Networks

1

Xueqing Wang1 , Fayi Sun2 and Xiangsong Kong1 School of Mechanics & Civil Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology Beijing 100083 Beijing, China wxqease@163.com
2

Weifang University of Science and Technology, 262700 Shouguang, Shandong, China

Abstract: - In a wireless sensor network, the size of radio nodes has direct relation to the cost of total wireless sensor networks, and at the same time, the problem is closely connected to wireless sensor networks performance, such as robust, fault-tolerance, and further more, it is considered at first as wireless sensor networks are designed. Therefore, the research on the size of radio nodes has significant meanings of theory and practice to design of wireless sensor networks. The paper simplifies complex coverage problem step by step. By means of math modeling, theoretical analysis and formula deducting, classical geometric theories and the method of mathematics induction are adopted, at last, the analysis formula of minimum number of nodes is theoretically educed under circumstances of entire and seamless coverage in WSN. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the conclusion is the full same with computing the number of communication nodes of wireless sensor networks. Key-Words: - Wireless sensor networks; coverage problem; sensor field; sensor nodes
1. INTRODUCTION Since 1990s, more and more researchers paid great attention to micro sensors capable of sensing, computing and wireless communicating, and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) of made the up of them with of sensing
[1, 2]

the maximal breach path and the maximal support path that are least and best monitored in the sensor networks. A coverage-preserving node scheduling scheme is presented in [5] to determine when a node can be turned off and when it should be rescheduled to turn on again. How to find the minimal and maximal exposure path that takes the duration that an object is monitored by sensors is addressed in [6, 7, 8]. Localized exposure-based coverage and location discovery algorithms are proposed in [9]. Reference [10] presents that different kinds of holes can form in such networks creating geographically correlated problem areas such as coverage holes, routing holes, jamming holes, sink/black holes and worm holes, etc, detail different types of holes, discuss their characteristics and study their effects on successful working of a sensor network. Reference [11] proposes a probe-based density control algorithm to put some nodes in a sensor-dense area to a doze mode to ensure a long-lived, robust sensing coverage. The effectiveness of cluster-based distributed sensor networks depends to a large extent on the coverage provided by the sensor deployment in [12] and the paper proposes a virtual force algorithm (VFA). Document [13] proves the set of active nodes selected by a connected

rapid and

development communicating,

technologies computing,

wireless . Micro

embedded

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

nodes are self-organized, distributed at random, integrated with sensor unit, data processing unit and communication unit. Sensors cooperatively and real-time sense, monitor and collect physical phenomena people are interested in. And then, the information are processed, thereby, knowledge is acquired in details and with accuracy. Huge application merit and development promise attracts attention of them who are people from industry, academic researchers, and military department . In wireless sensor networks, nodes are usually deployed at random in sensor field, therefore, coverage problem is one of basic problem, and the problem has some influence on monitoring and tracking object. Reference [4] proposed polynomial time algorithms to find
[3]

978-0-7695-3501-2/09 $25.00 2009 IEEE DOI 10.1109/CMC.2009.231

548

dominating set (CDS) provides full coverage and connectivity. Document [14] addresses how to Theorem 1. Area of inscribed equilateral triangle is maximal in all inscribed triangle of a circle. Proof: To illustrate in figure 2, in circle A, C1C2C3 and C1C2C3 are inscribed triangle of it. C1P1C2C3 and C1P1 is through the center of A. C1P2C2C3 and C1 is any point except for point C1. Obviously, for C1' A i f C1' C1, then |C1P1| |C1P1| (|C1P1|denotes the length of segment C1P1). Moreover |C2C3|=|C2C3| area of C1C2C3 C1C2C3 2. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION To illustrate in figure 1, theoretical hypotheses are shown below: Hyp.1 a sensors detecting ability is omnidirectional, that is , its coverage range is a disk whose radius is r and whose area is D (D=r2). Hyp.2 in a sensor field, all sensors radio power is uniform, that is, the radio radius r of all sensors is equal. Hyp.3 in a sensor field, all sensors are in the same plane.
r rr r r r r

dynamically maintain two important measures on the quality of the coverage of a sensor network: the best-case coverage and worst-case coverage distances, and gives relevant algorithm. In this paper, the problem is researched: minimum number of radio nodes is demanded in a sensor field if the field is covered entirely and seamlessly.

C1 is discretional area S of C1C2C3 is maximal Here, |C1C2|=|C1C3| Moreover, symmetry in a similar way, |C2C1|=|C2C3| and |C3C1| = |C3C2| |C1C2|=|C2C3|=|C3C1| C1C2C3 is equilateral triangle and its area is maximal.
C1 C1'

C2

P1 P2 C3

Fig.2 Graphic illustration of theorem 1

Theorem 2. To illustrate in figure 3, if seamless topology

nodes r r

area of 3 seamless topology disks: D1, D2 and D3 get maximum, then 3 circles: C1, C2 and C3 correspondingly encircling 3 disks must intersect at only point A. That is,

cover age r ange

Fig.1 Sensors sensing range and WSN S sensor field

D1D2D3, if max(D1D2D3), then C1C2 C3 ={A}. Proof: Max(D1D2D3) min(D1D2D3) D1D2D3 According to the definition of intersection C1C2C3 ={A}
D1 D1 C1 A C2 D2 B ( a) C3 D3 C2 D2 B ( b) C1 A C3 D3

According to above hypotheses, the minimum number of nodes, that is demanded in order to entirely and seamlessly cover the sensor field to illustrate in figure 1 is the number if coverage area of every node in it is maximal. Expression in math is:

For x F , i, so as t o x D , and D i j jN is imal, or max max D j jN

Where x is any point in the sensor field, F is the sensor field, D is disk of every node, N is number of nodes and is union.

Fig.3 Graphic illustration of theorem 2

Theorem 3. Seamless topology area of 3 seamless topology disks: D1, D2 and D3 is maximal and its value is

3.

RELATED THEORIES

549

4 3 3 2

r 2 if 3 circles: C1, C2 and C3 correspondingly

+3 3
3

(4)

encircling D1, D2 and D3 intersect at point A and C1C2C3 is equilateral triangle. Proof: Let max(D1 D2 D3) be true, according to theorem 2, then C1, C2 and C3 must intersect at point A. Furthermore, |AC1|=|AC2|=|AC3|=r point C1, C2 and C3 are concyclic C1C2C3 is inscribed triangle of A let area of C1C2C3 be maximal, according to theorem 1, then C1C2C3 must be equilateral triangle. Since area of C1C2C3 get maximum, here, area of gray field in figure 4(a) is minimal to a certainty. That is, area of gray field in figure 4(b) is minimal, i.e. max(D1D2 D3).

Area S5 of gray field in figure 5(f)

S 5 = 3 S4 + 3 S2

= 3 =

+3 3
3

+ 3

2 3 3 2 r 6

4 + 3 3 2 r 2

(5)

the problem proves to be true.

C1
r

C1 A r /2 C3 C2 P3 B ( b) A' C3

C2

( a)

( b)
( c) ( d)

Fig.4 Graphic illustration of theorem 3

Area S1 of gray field in figure 5(b):

S1ar ea of sect or AC 2 A 'ar ea of AC 2 P3

30 r 360
2

1 2

C 2 P 3 * AP3

1 * 12 2

2 r r

( 2) ( 2)
2 * r

Fig.5 Graphic illustration of computing area

From the process of proving, we notice that

(1)

23 3 2 r 24

AC2B=60, 360AC2B

i.e. A circle C1 is exactly covered by 6 circles C2,

C3, C4, C5, C6, and C7. The case is

symmetry area S2 of gray field in figure 5(c)

S 24 * S1 2 3 3 2 r 6

illustration in figure 6.
(2)
C4 C3

symmetry area S3 of gray field in figure 5(d)

S 32 * S 2

2 3 3 2 r 3
2 3 3 3

(3)

Area S4 of gray field in figure 5(e)

C6 C7

S 4D S 3 r
2

Fig.6 Graphic illustration that one circle is seamlessly covered by 6 circles

550

60
30

3r ( a)

( e)

(f )

= 36060 6,

C5

C1

C2

REFERENCES 4. MINIMUM NUMBER OF NODES IN WSN THAT IS COVERED ENTIRELY AND SEAMLESSLY
[1] Akyildiz I F, Su W, Sankarsubramanlam Y, et al. Wireless sensor Networks: a Survey. Computer Networks, 2002, 38:393-422. [2] G.J. Pottie and W.J. Kaiser. Wireless integrated network sensors. Commun. ACM, 2000, 43(5): 51-58. [3] K. Sohrabi, J. Gao, V. Ailawadhi and G.J. Pottie. Protocols for self-organization of a wireless sensor network. IEEE Personal Commun, 2000, 7(5): 16-17. [4] S.meguerdichian, F. Koushanfar, G. Qu and M. Potkonjak. Coverage problem in wireless ad-hoc networks. IEEE infocom, 2001:1380-1387. [5] D. Tian and N.D. Georganas. A coverage-preserving node scheduling scheme for large wireless sensor networks. ADM Intl Workshop on Wireless sensor Networks & applications, 2002. [6] S. Meguerdichian, F. Koushanfar, G. Qu et al. Exposure in wireless ad-hoc sensor networks. ACM Intl Conf. On Mobile Computing and Networking (MobiCom), 2001, 139-150. [7] Seapahn Megerian, Farinaz Koushanfar, Gang Qu et al. Exposure in wireless sensor networks: theory and practical solutions. Wireless Networks, 2002, 8:443-454. [8] G. Veltri, Q. Huang, G.Qu and M. Potkonjak. Minimal and maximal exposure path algorithms for wireless embedded sensor networks. ACM Intl Conf. On Embedded Networked Sensor Systems (SenSys), 2003:40-50. [9] S. Meguerdichian, S. Slijepcevic, V. Karayan and M. Potkonjak. Localized algorithms in wireless ad-hoc networks: location discovery and sensor exposure. ACM Intl Symp. On Mobile ad hoc Networking and Computing (MobiHOC), 2001:106-116. [10] Nadeem Ahmed, Salil S. Kanhere, Sanjay Jha. The holes problem in wireless sensor networks: a survey. Mobile Computing and Communications Review, 9(2): 4-18. [11] F. Ye, G. Zhong, S. Lu et al. PEAS: a robust energy conserving protocol for long-lived sensor networks. Intl Conf. On Distributed Computing Systems, 2003. [12] Yi Zou, Krishnendu Chakrabarty. Sensor deployment and target localization in distributed sensor networks. ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems, 2004, 3(1): 61-91. [13] Yi Zou and Krishnendu Chakrabarty. A distributed coverage- and Connectivity-Centric Technique for Selecting Active Nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks. IEEE Transactions on Computers, 2005, 54(8): 978-990. [14] Hai Huang, Andrea W.Richa. Dynamic coverage in Ad-Hoc sensor networks. Mobile Networks and Applications, 2005, 10:9-17.

According to the above theorem 3, in a given sensor field F, the illustration in figure 7 shows the topology graph. From the figure , it is known that a node is added every time, then the increment of coverage area is

= D 3 S2 = r 2 3
=
3 3 2 r 2

2 3 3 2 r 6

(6)

the number N of nodes in the sensor field (Some of

boundary nodes are ignored) is

N=

F
3 3 2 r 2

2F 3 3r 2

(7)

Fig.7 Graphic illustration of counting the number of nodes

5. CONCLUSION

In wireless sensor networks, the paper simplifies complex coverage problem step by step. By means of math modeling, theoretical analysis and formula deducting, the analysis formula of minimum number of nodes is theoretically educed under circumstances of entire and seamless coverage in WSN. It resolves a math problem of WSN in theory. The research on the number of nodes has significant meanings of theory research and network designing of WSN. On its basis, the theory has some influence on algorithm research and protocol designing. This is the content that I am going to work later.

551