An Optimization-Based mTSP-CR Mobile Data Gathering Algorithm for Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper investigates the problem of computing the optimal trajectories of multiple mobile elements (e.g. robots, vehicles, aircrafts, etc.) to minimize energy consumption in the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We consider the real situation, take full advantage of sensor's communication range and construct the multiple Traveling Salesman Problem with Communication Range (mTSP-CR). An optimization-based two-stage algorithm is proposed to solve mTSP-CR where a relaxed optimization problem is solved in the first stage and a modified TSP-algorithm is implemented to obtain a feasible solution in the second stage. Numerical simulation indicates that the algorithm can obtain a feasible solution for mTSP-CR. Communication range is beneficial to minimize the total travel distance and to save energy in WSNs.