Upper bounds on the lifetime of sensor networks

We ask a fundamental question concerning the limits of energy efficiency of sensor networks-what is the upper bound on the lifetime of a sensor network that collects data from a specified region using a certain number of energy-constrained nodes? The answer to this question is valuable for two main reasons. First, it allows calibration of real world data-gathering protocols and an understanding of factors that prevent these protocols from approaching fundamental limits. Secondly, the dependence of lifetime on factors like the region of observation, the source behavior within that region, basestation location, number of nodes, radio path loss characteristics, efficiency of node electronics and the energy available on a node, is exposed. This allows architects of sensor networks to focus on factors that have the greatest potential impact on network lifetime. By employing a combination of theory and extensive simulations of constructed networks, we show that in all data gathering scenarios presented, there exist networks which achieve lifetimes equal to or >95% of the derived bounds. Hence, depending on the scenario, our bounds are either tight or near-tight.