Random Walk Models for Geographic Data Propagation in Wireless Sensor Networks

For wireless sensor networks with many location-unaware nodes, we investigate a protocol, dubbed BeSpoken, that steers data transmissions along a straight path called a spoke. The protocol directs data transmissions by randomly selecting relays to retransmit data packets from crescent-shaped areas along the spoke axis. The packet retransmission by the selected relay constitutes a spoke hop. The current spoke direction at any given hop may deviate from the spoke axis. In this work, we model the current direction as a Markov modulated random walk, and offer protocol design guidelines which ensure that the deviation is limited.