Multi-resolution Location Directory Service

Abstract

Many emergent distributed sensing applications need to keep track of mobile entities across multiple sensor networks connected via an IP network. To simplify the realization of such applications, we present MLDS, a Multi-resolution Location Directory Service for tiered sensor networks. MLDS provides a rich set of spatial query services ranging from simple queries about entity location, to complex nearest neighbor queries. Furthermore, MLDS supports multiple query granularities which allow an application to achieve the desired tradeoff between query accuracy and communication cost. We implemented MLDS on Agimone, a unified middleware for sensor and IP networks. We then deployed and evaluated the service on a tiered testbed consisting of tmote nodes and base stations. Our experimental results show that, when compared to a centralized approach, MLDS achieves significant savings in communication cost while still providing a high degree of accuracy, both within a single sensor network and across multiple sensor networks.

Publications

• Bhattacharya S., Fok C.-L., Lu C. and Roman G.-C., “MLDS: A Flexible Location Directory Service for Tiered Sensor Networks,” Computer Communications, Special Issue on Advanced Location-based Services, 31(6), 1160-1172, April 2008.. (Extended version of the DCOSS'07 paper)
• Bhattacharya S., Fok C.-L., Lu C. and Roman G.-C., “Design and Implementation of a Flexible Location Directory Service for Tiered Sensor Networks,” International Conference on Distributed Computing in Sensor Systems (DCOSS'07), June 2007.
• Bhattacharya S., Fok C.-L., Lu C. and Roman G.-C., “Demo Abstract: A Hierarchical Location Directory Service Across Sensor and IP Networks,” ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems (SenSys'06), November 2006.