Multi-hop cooperative transmissions in wireless sensor networks

We present the optimal number of cooperating nodes in multi-hop virtual multiple-input single-output (vMISO) based cooperative wireless sensor networks as a result of an energy consumption optimization problem in a limiting case of very dense networks. The main advantage of vMISO considered in this work is the increase in transmission range due to diversity and power gain. We demonstrate that it is best to have two cooperating nodes, when vMISO is allowed to have multiple transmissions without power control.