Node collaboration for distributed beamforming in wireless sensor networks

Abstract

Collaborative beamforming (CB) is introduced in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to improve the transmission power and the energy efficiency of the networks. Using a subset number of nodes from a network of sensors, they collectively transmit a common message with different proper weights to an intended location. Different geometrical location of the subset of nodes will produce different transmission gains. Due to erratic deployment of the sensor nodes in the networks, the assignment for the sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks is vital to achieve better array pattern synthesis. In this paper, a node selection method based on uniform circular array is presented. Simulation and performance analysis are carried out to demonstrate the beam pattern performance of uniform circular in performing collaborative beamforming.