An approximated detection method for sequential detection in wireless sensor networks

In this paper we study a sequential type-based detection scheme with the suboptimal detection rule for wireless sensor networks. First, we propose the approximation of the optimal detection rule and derive the sub-optimal detection rule. Then we compare the performances of the optimal and the suboptimal detection rules and show that the approximated detection rule provides the similar results as the optimal detection rule in terms of both average number of observations and total energy consumption. At the same time the suboptimal detection rule allows the significant reduction of the computational complexity such that the complexity and detection delay per one iteration does not depend on the number of sensor nodes in the network. That makes the proposed approximated detection rule useful for real-time application.