Heterogeneous Directional Sensors Self-Deployment Problem in a Bounded Monitoring Area

Abstract

Good deployment of sensors empowers the network with effective monitoring ability. Different from omnidirectional sensors, the coverage region of a directional sensor is determined by not only the sensing radius (distance), but also its sensing orientation and spread angle. Heterogeneous sensing distances and spread angles are likely to exist among directional sensors, to which we refer as heterogeneous directional sensors. In this paper, we target on a bounded monitoring area and deal with heterogeneous directional sensors equipped with locomotion and rotation facilities to enable the sensors self-deployment. Our base and optimized deployment algorithms are proposed to achieve high sensing coverage ratio in the monitored field. These algorithms leverage the concept of virtual forces (for sensors movements) and virtual boundary torques (for sensors rotations). Performance results demonstrate that our optimized deployment mechanism is capable of providing desirable surveillance level, while consuming moderate moving and rotating energy.