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Applicability of Hop Distance in Random Sensor Networks

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Abstract

Future sensor networks may be composed of a large number of low cost sensors, also known as “smart-dust”. A simple measure for the distance between any two sensors is the number of re-broadcasts that is necessary to send a message between them. We wish to determine to what extent this so called hop distance provides a useful estimate of the geometric distance between the sensors and can thus be used to derive a map of the network. For the present paper we simulated a number of networks and determined hop distance distributions. We also considered heterogeneity of sensor density and hop range, which is to be expected when a network will be delivered on a featured terrain. Our results demonstrate that, with a proper calibration, hop distance can provide a reliable estimate for geometric distance, provided that the minimum (local) sensor density is sufficient and that hop range heterogeneities do not extend over large regions of the network.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Netherlands Defense Academy, P.O.Box 10000, 1780 CA, Den Helder, The Netherlands

    Oscar J. G. Somsen, Raymundo R. Hordijk & Theo M. Hupkens

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  1. Oscar J. G. Somsen
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  2. Raymundo R. Hordijk
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  3. Theo M. Hupkens
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Correspondence to Oscar J. G. Somsen.

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Somsen, O.J.G., Hordijk, R.R. & Hupkens, T.M. Applicability of Hop Distance in Random Sensor Networks. Wireless Pers Commun 67, 257–269 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-011-0376-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-011-0376-6

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