Detecting and repairing network partition in wireless sensor networks

In a Wireless Sensor Network, sensor nodes may fail for several reasons and the network may split into two or more disconnected partitions. This may deteriorate or even nullify the usefulness and effectiveness of the network. Therefore, repairing partitions is a priority. In this paper we present a method to detect and, repair□ network partitions by using mobile nodes. By reasoning upon the degree of connectivity with neighbors, a mobile node finds the proper position where to stop in order to re-establish connectivity. Factors influencing the method performance are singled out and criteria for their selection are discussed. Simulations show that the proposed method is effective and efficient notwithstanding packet loss.