Algorithm for Target Coverage Problem Based on Deep Learning in Wireless Sensor Networks

Aiming at the uncertain mechanism of node activation strategies and redundancy of feasible solution sets in the process of solving target coverage problem in wireless sensor networks, we proposed a deep learning based target coverage algorithm to learn the scheduling strategies of nodes in wireless sensor networks. Firstly , the algorithm abstracted the construction of feasible solution sets into Markov decision process, and intelligently selected activated sensor nodes as discrete actions according to the network environment. Secondly, a reward function evaluated the performance of the intelligent agent in selecting actions based on the coverage capacity and its residual energy of the active node. The simulation experiment result shows that the algorithm is effective in different network environments, and the network lifecycle is superior to the three greedy algorithms, the maximum lifetime coverage algorithm and the adaptive learning automaton algorithm.