Parameter Optimization of a Temperature and Relative Humidity Based Transmission Power Control Scheme for Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

We present refinements of a novel transmission power control (TPC) algorithm based on temperature and relative humidity (TRH). Previously, we deployed a prototype TRH TPC algorithm on wireless sensor nodes operating in real harsh environmental conditions and reported promising results. Since then, we have made enhancements of the TRH TPC model, which we will show here. Furthermore, in order to develop an understanding of the nonlinear behavior that we observed from this TRH TPC scheme, we developed a simulation platform that uses real radio frequency (RF) signal and interference samples and actual T and RH sensor data acquired simultaneously. Afterwards, we logged results of repeated experiments and determined the algorithms operating ranges and behaviors, varying its main parameters, such as (1) its gain factor, (2) the average time period to recalculate power level updates, and (3) proper received signal threshold selection. We then summarize optimal parameter ranges from the analytical results that reflect where this TRH TPC technique works best. And finally, we report results of the TRH TPC algorithm running on long range WSN systems deployed in harsh environmental conditions, corroborating behaviors observed through simulation.