QoD Adaptation for Achieving Lifetime Predictability of WSN Nodes Communicating over Satellite Links

In this paper we propose an architecture consisting of a particular type of node, namely a communication server that collects and aggregates data, and establishes a link between the users and the sensor nodes through satellite communication. A key challenge with satisfying a lifetime requirement of the communication server is the unpredictability of the sensor data volume arriving at the communication server and the transmission power of the satellite terminal. To provide lifetime predictability we propose an approach that automatically adjusts the quality of the data such that the specified lifetime if achieved. We have shown through an extensive evaluation that the approach manages to provide an actual lifetime within 2% of the specified lifetime despite variations in workload and communication link quality.