A coverage hole detection and repair algorithm in wireless sensor networks

Coverage and connectivity are the basic issues in wireless sensor networks. In this paper, a coverage hole detection and repair algorithm is proposed to solve the problem of network disconnection. The algorithm dynamically analyzes the network topology based on the maximum simple subnet, determines the boundary node of the empty area, calculates the polygon area of the boundary node and compares it with the preset area threshold to determine the clustering strategy onto the polygon. Moreover, with activating the valid inactive nodes and make them as the cluster nodes within the empty area, the blank hole could thus be repaired and the connectivity as well as communication of the network is then managed. The simulation results show that the accuracy of hole detection is 7 and 5% higher than that of BFNP and HPA, and the coverage is 10 and 40% higher than that of BFNP and the condition without any repairing solution.