The Target-Barrier Coverage Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we define a new type of coverage problem named target-barrier coverage problem in wireless sensor networks. A target-barrier is a continuous circular barrier formed around the target. The target-barrier has a d(bound) constraint that is set depending on applications and needs, where d(bound) is the minimum distance of the constructed barrier from the target. Target-barrier coverage is very suited for application in defense surveillance, including detection of intrusion from outside and prevention of barrier breaching from inside. For instance, in a jail scenario, sensors can be deployed to enclose a jail with the constraint of d(bound) to detect the escape of prisoners or unauthorized entry into the jail for rescuing prisoners. We focus on how to minimize the number of members required to construct target-barriers in a distributed manner while satisfying the d(bound) constraint and minimizing the amount of message exchange required. In performance evaluation, we compare our solution with the solution of related work and the Brute-Force algorithm which can find the minimum number of target-barrier members required. Our experimental results show that the proposed algorithm delivers satisfactory results in terms of the number of target-barrier members required and the amount of message exchange required.