Dynamic Coverage of Mobile Sensor Networks

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how sensor mobility in networks enhances coverage over time, enabling detection of intruders and covering larger areas, with a focus on dynamic coverage properties and optimal strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of dynamic coverage in mobile sensor networks, including temporal coverage characterization and game-theoretic strategies for intruder detection.

Findings

Mobility increases overall area coverage over time.

Mobile sensors can detect intruders more effectively than stationary ones.

Optimal strategies for sensor and intruder movement are derived.

Abstract

In this paper we study the dynamic aspects of the coverage of a mobile sensor network resulting from continuous movement of sensors. As sensors move around, initially uncovered locations are likely to be covered at a later time. A larger area is covered as time continues, and intruders that might never be detected in a stationary sensor network can now be detected by moving sensors. However, this improvement in coverage is achieved at the cost that a location is covered only part of the time, alternating between covered and not covered. We characterize area coverage at specific time instants and during time intervals, as well as the time durations that a location is covered and uncovered. We further characterize the time it takes to detect a randomly located intruder. For mobile intruders, we take a game theoretic approach and derive optimal mobility strategies for both sensors and intruders. Our results show that sensor mobility brings about unique dynamic coverage properties not present in a stationary sensor network, and that mobility can be exploited to compensate for the lack of sensors to improve coverage.