A delay-sensitive connected target coverage algorithm in wireless sensor networks

The issue of guaranteeing the network QoS (target coverage, network connectivity, etc.) to maximize the lifetime in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has been widely studied in recent years. In some delaysensitive sensor networks (fires, gas leaks, explosions, etc.), sensor nodes must transmit their data to sink within a limited period to monitor the critical physical environment. In order to study connected target coverage in such delay-sensitive sensor networks, we are the first one to propose the Delay-Constraint Connected Target Coverage (DCCTC) problem and study the following works specifically: 1) we model DCCTC problem as a Height Limited Maximum Cover Tree (HLMCT) problem, and then give an upper bound on the network lifetime for HLMCT problem; 2) we develop a fast heuristic algorithm, named HLCWGC; 3) we study the performance of HLCWGC algorithm by comparing it with other existing algorithms improved to solve HLMCT problem. Simulation results show that HLCWGC algorithm can achieve a better performance than other improved algorithms in the delay-sensitive sensor networks. © 2014 IFSA Publishing, S. L.