Prediction-based monitoring in sensor networks: Taking lessons from MPEG

In this paper we discuss the problem of monitoring data sensed in large sensor networks. A sensor typically runs on a battery having a limited lifetime. In order to increase the lifetime of a sensor it is important that the mechanisms used in monitoring them be energy-efficient. In this paper, we propose a new paradigm called Prediction-based monitoring for energy-efficient monitoring. We show that the paradigm can be visualized as a watching of a "sensor movie" and that concepts from MPEG may be applied to it. We have implemented the proposed algorithms in a test bed of Rene Motes [2]. Experimental results show that the proposed solutions cut down the energy consumption by more than 5 times, considerably increasing sensor lifetimes, and thereby, the lifetime of the networks formed from these sensors.