Network formations to bridge or extend wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) that require bridging to other networks or extending sensor coverage must keep high link availability to reduce energy wasted on error control. This paper first details the relationship of individual link probability of availability to E_b/N_o and to upper protocol layers. Then the efficient computation of the network probability of availability is shown, and applied to four extensible, planned formations of nodes. Finally, we demonstrate the use of these formations in examples of bridging and extensions of WSNs, and discuss how to deploy them.