Fuzzy System and Improved APIT (FIAPIT) Combined Range-free Localization Method for WSN

Among numerous localization schemes proposed specifically for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), the range-free localization algorithms based on the received signal strength indication (RSSI) have attracted considerable research interest for their simplicity and low cost. As a typical range-free algorithm, Approximate Point In Triangulation test (APIT) suffers from significant estimation errors due to its theoretical defects and RSSI inaccuracy. To address these problems, a novel localization method called FIAPIT, which is a combination of an improved APIT (IAPIT) and a fuzzy logic system, is proposed. The proposed IAPIT addresses the theoretical defects of APIT in near (it's defined as a point adjacent to a sensor is closer to three vertexes of a triangle area where the sensor resides simultaneously) and far (the opposite case of the near case) cases partly. To compensate for negative effects of RSSI inaccuracy, a fuzzy system, whose logic inference is based on IAPIT, is applied. Finally, the sensor's coordinates are estimated as the weighted average of centers of gravity (COGs) of triangles' intersection areas. Each COG has a different weight inferred by FIAPIT. Numerical simulations were performed to compare four algorithms with varying system parameters. The results show that IAPIT corrects the defects of APIT when adjacent nodes are enough, and FIAPIT is better than others when RSSI is inaccuracy. Keywords: RSSI, range-free, fuzzy system, APIT, WCL