A 2-Approximation Algorithm for Barrier Coverage by Weighted Non-uniform Sensors on a Line

Barrier coverage is an approach to the intruder detection problem that relies on monitoring a perimeter, or barrier, of an area of interest using sensors placed around it. In this paper, we propose a weighted generalization of the unweighted line segment barrier coverage problem studied in [5] for which the authors demonstrate an FPTAS. We develop a fast, simple 2-approximation algorithm for the weighted case likely to be of interest to practitioners, and show that the FPTAS developed in [5] can be adapted to the weighted problem.