A distributed monitoring mechanism for wireless sensor networks

This study develops and study in more detail a distributed monitoring mechanism that aims at localized decision making and minimizing the propagation of false alarms and investigates the trade-offs via simulation.

Abstract

In this paper we focus on a large class of wireless sensor networks that are designed and used for monitoring and surveillance. The single most important mechanism underlying such systems is the monitoring of the network itself, that is, the control center needs to be constantly made aware of the existence/health of all the sensors in the network for security reasons. In this study we present plausible alternative communication strategies that can achieve this goal, and then develop and study in more detail a distributed monitoring mechanism that aims at localized decision making and minimizing the propagation of false alarms. Key constraints of such systems include low energy consumption and low complexity. Key performance measures of this mechanism include high detection accuracy (low false alarm probabilities) and high responsiveness (low response latency). We investigate the trade-offs via simulation.