Channel Adaptation in Sensor Networks

1. A method comprising: accessing, at a source node in a network, information associated with a set of available transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a first transmission state from the set of available transmission states, wherein each transmission state included in the set of available transmission states includes a combination of a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate that is distinct from other transmission states included in the set; evaluating, by the source node, a first metric that measures energy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with transmitting data using the first transmission state; determining, by the source node, whether the first metric corresponding to the first transmission state is less than other metrics that measure energy expenditures for transmission success rates associated with transmitting data using the other transmission states; based on determining that the first metric corresponding to the first transmission state is greater than the other metrics corresponding to the other transmission states, selecting, by the source node, a second transmission state from the set of available transmission states, the second transmission state being different from the first transmission state; and transmitting, by the source node, data using the second transmission state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second transmission states includes a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the first metric comprises: determining a ratio of an amount of data transmitted to an amount of data received at a destination.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: listening for data, at a destination node in the network, concurrently using two or more transmission states included in the set of available transmission states; and receiving, by the destination node, the data transmitted by the source node.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the source node includes a sensor and the destination node includes a base station.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the first metric comprises one or more of evaluating RSSI (receive signal strength indicator), determining a packet success rate, or determining energy in a carrier band.

7. A method comprising: accessing, at a source node in a network, information associated with a set of available transmission states, wherein each transmission state included in the set of available transmission states includes a combination of a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate that is distinct from other transmission states included in the set; ordering, by the source node, the available transmission states into a set of ranked transmission states based on a first evaluation that measures a theoretical energy per bit (EPB) for data transmission using the available transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a first transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states; evaluating, by the source node, a first metric that measures enemy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with data transmission for the first transmission state included in the set of ranked transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a second transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states, the second transmission state being lower ranked than the first transmission state; evaluating, by the source node, a second metric that measures energy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with data transmission for the second transmission state included in the set of ranked transmission states; determining, by the source node, whether the second metric is less than the first metric; and based on determining that the second metric is less than the first metric, transmitting, by the source node, data using the second transmission state.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein ordering the transmission states into the set of ranked transmission states comprises: ordering the transmission states into the set of ranked transmission states based on increasing EPB such that a transmission state associated with a lower EPB is placed higher in the set compared to a transmission state associated with a higher EPB.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first metric and the second metric measure one or more of energy consumption lifecycle cost for data transmission, received signal strength indicator (RSSI), packet success rate (PSR) associated with transmitting the data, or energy in a carrier band.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein evaluating the PSR comprises: determining a ratio of an amount of data transmitted to an amount of the data received at a destination.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second transmission states includes a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: listening for data, at a destination node in the network, concurrently using two or more transmission states included in the set of available transmission states; and receiving, by the destination node, the data transmitted by the source node.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the source node includes a sensor and the destination node includes a base station.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein accessing the information associated with the set of available transmission states comprises: accessing, by the source node, the information based on a predetermined schedule.

15. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: determining, by the source node, energy expenditure associated with transmitting data using the second transmission state; selecting, by the source node, a third transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states, the third transmission state being a transmission state that was previously used for transmission; examining, by the source node, previously assessed energy savings associated with data transmission using the third transmission state; determining, by the source node, whether the previously assessed energy savings is greater than the energy expenditure associated with transmitting data using the second transmission state; and based on determining that the previously assessed energy savings is greater, transmitting, by the source node, data using the third transmission state.

16. The method of claim 7 , wherein ordering the transmission states into the set of ranked transmission states comprises: ordering the transmission states into the set of ranked transmission states based on increasing energy consumption lifecycle cost such that a transmission state associated with lower energy consumption lifecycle cost is placed higher in the set compared to a transmission state associated with higher energy consumption lifecycle cost.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers and that, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: accessing, at a source node in a network, information associated with a set of available transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a first transmission state from the set of available transmission states, wherein each transmission state included in the set of available transmission states includes a combination of a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate that is distinct from other transmission states included in the set; evaluating, by the source node, a first metric that measures energy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with transmitting data using the first transmission state; determining, by the source node, whether the first metric corresponding to the first transmission state is less than other metrics that measure energy expenditures for transmission success rates associated with transmitting data using the other transmission states; based on determining that the first metric corresponding to the first transmission state is greater than the other metrics corresponding to the other transmission states, selecting, by the source node, a second transmission state from the set of available transmission states, the second transmission state being different from the first transmission state; and transmitting, by the source node, data using the second transmission state.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers and that, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: accessing, at a source node in a network, information associated with a set of available transmission states, wherein each transmission state included in the set of available transmission states includes a combination of a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate that is distinct from other transmission states included in the set; ordering, by the source node, the available transmission states into a set of ranked transmission states based on a first evaluation that measures a theoretical energy per bit (EPB) for data transmission using the available transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a first transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states; evaluating, by the source node, a first metric that measures enemy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with data transmission for the first transmission state included in the set of ranked transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a second transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states, the second transmission state being lower ranked than the first transmission state; evaluating, by the source node, a second metric that measures energy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with data transmission for the second transmission state included in the set of ranked transmission states; determining, by the source node, whether the second metric is less than the first metric; and based on determining that the second metric is less than the first metric, transmitting, by the source node, data using the second transmission state.

19. A system comprising: one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: accessing, at a source node in a network, information associated with a set of available transmission states, wherein each transmission state included in the set of available transmission states includes a combination of a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate that is distinct from other transmission states included in the set; selecting, by the source node, a first transmission state from the set of available transmission states; evaluating, by the source node, a first metric that measures energy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with transmitting data using the first transmission state; determining, by the source node, whether the first metric corresponding to the first transmission state is less than other metrics that measure energy expenditures for transmission success rates associated with transmitting data using the other transmission states; based on determining that the first metric corresponding to the first transmission state is greater than the other metrics corresponding to the other transmission states, selecting, by the source node, a second transmission state from the set of available transmission states, the second transmission state being different from the first transmission state; and transmitting, by the source node, data using the second transmission state.

20. A system comprising: one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: accessing, at a source node in a network, information associated with a set of available transmission states, wherein each transmission state included in the set of available transmission states includes a combination of a transmission frequency band, a radio frequency (RF) power level and a transmission data rate that is distinct from other transmission states included in the set; ordering, by the source node, the available transmission states into a set of ranked transmission states based on a first evaluation that measures a theoretical energy per bit (EPB) for data transmission using the available transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a first transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states; evaluating, by the source node, a first metric that measures enemy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with data transmission for the first transmission state included in the set of ranked transmission states; selecting, by the source node, a second transmission state from the set of ranked transmission states, the second transmission state being lower ranked than the first transmission state; evaluating, by the source node, a second metric that measures enemy expenditure for a transmission success rate associated with data transmission for the second transmission state included in the set of ranked transmission states; determining, by the source node, whether the second metric is less than the first metric; and based on determining that the second metric is less than the first metric, transmitting, by the source node, data using the second transmission state.