Cooperative Localization with Energy Minimization in Vehicular Long-Thin Networks

In this paper, we propose a cooperative energy-efficient localization framework (CELF) for power saving in vehicular long-thin networks (VLTNs) with fleet cyclists using smart phones along a common cycling route. As cyclists upload their position data and download global fleet information, all power-consuming GPS receivers have to be turned on for obtaining their current locations. To minimize the energy consumption of positioning, CELF provides cooperative localization among cyclists, which consists of a cyclist grouping mechanism, an anchor selection scheme, and a position estimation method. To the best of our knowledge, CELF is the first cooperative solution for localization which provides the following features: (i) CELF does not rely on costly roadside infrastructures but only employs vehicle-to-vehicle communications. (ii) CELF can supply group members with up-to-date locations without activating GPS receivers. (iii) CELF can estimate the member position only based on single mobile anchor instead of multiple static anchors. Through cooperative localization among cyclists, most of GPS receivers can be turned off to save the battery power of mobile devices and to extend the network lifetime of VLTNs. Simulation results show that CELF outperforms existing works and can significantly reduce the energy consumption of positioning.