Discrete Radio Power Level Consumption Model in Wireless Sensor Networks

Research in the wireless sensor network field has been plagued by difficulties in realistic simulations. These difficulties are often the result of non-realistic assumptions which need to be removed from the equation. Recent work in the field has identified realistic radio consumption models, signal strength estimation and that reception cost may be more than the transmission cost. In our work we combine these techniques into a single model for estimating radio power costs. We also investigate the effects of discrete power levels on transmission cost and show that transmission costs do not always increase as the transmission distance increases.