A combined strategy of data collection and charge scheduling to maximize sensor lifetime in a WRSN

In Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks (WRSNs), using a mobile vehicle fitted with finite capacity battery to refill the energy and simultaneously collect data from the sensor nodes is a challenging issue. In this paper, we employ a Mobile Vehicle (MV) in a WRSN and design its travelling path with the aims of reducing the dead periods of the sensor nodes and improving the data collection from the sensor nodes. We design a data gathering and charging schedule for a single MV to visit the low-energy sensor nodes to recharge them and collect their data. The MV also collects the data from the neighbouring sensor nodes which are within the communication range during travelling or charging. Simulations are conducted to show the usefulness of the scheme presented. The proposed method decreases the total dead period by 53.6% and 42% with respect to the two existing data gathering and charging schemes, NDCA and RECO respectively, and collects almost twice sensor data than these schemes.