A Novel Iterative Multilateral Localization Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

In many applications of wireless sensor networks, location is very important information. It can be used to identify the location at which sensor readings originate, in routing and data storage protocols based on geographical areas and so on. Location information can come from manual setting or GPS device. However, manual setting requires huge cost of human time, and GPS setting requires expensive device cost. Both approaches are not applicable to localization task of large scale wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we propose an accurate and efficient localization algorithm, called iterative multilateral localization algorithm based on time rounds. This Algorithm uses time round mechanism and anchor nodes triangle placement scheme to reduce error accumulation caused by iteratively localization. And it also reduces location errors and prevents abnormal phenomena caused by trilateral localization through limiting the minimum number of neighboring beacon nodes used in different localizing time rounds. Experimental results reveal that this algorithm has high localization accuracy, even if in large range errors, it can achieve good result.