On the robustness of clustered sensor networks

Abstract

Smart devices with multiple on-board sensors, networked through wired or wireless links, are distributed in physical systems and environments. Broad applications of such sensor networks include manufacturing quality control and wireless sensor systems. In the operation of sensor systems, robust methods for retrieving reliable information from sensor systems are crucial in the presence of potential sensor failures. Existence of sensor redundancy is one of the main drivers for the robustness or fault tolerance capability of a sensor system. The redundancy degree of sensors plays two important roles pertaining to the robustness of a sensor network. First, the redundancy degree provides proper parameter values for robust estimator; second, we can calculate the fault tolerance capability of a sensor network from the redundancy degree. Given this importance of the redundancy degree, this dissertation presents efficient algorithms based on matroid theory to compute the redundancy degree of a clustered sensor network. In the efficient algorithms, a cluster pattern of a sensor network allows us to decompose a large sensor network into smaller sub-systems, from which the redundancy degree can be found more efficiently. Finally, the robustness analysis as well as its algorithm procedure is illustrated using examples of a multi-station assembly process and calibration of wireless sensor networks.