A Theoretical Analysis and Simulation of Power Consumption in Wireless Sensor Networks using the Principles of CDMA

Wireless Sensor Networks have encountered countless problems and short falls. Some notable problems would include the coverage range of the sensor. The size of the sensor is always being refined. The speed data transmissions are constantly improved but the most notable and pressing problem involving wireless sensor networks is power consumption. Battery power efficiency is a critical factor in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) since sensor nodes are typically powered by nonrenewable batteries. It is a critical factor in discerning the lifespan of WSN.;The goal of this research is to explore the benefits of combining two distinctively different technologies as it pertains to efficient power consumption. The two technologies examined in this research are Wireless Sensor Networks and Code Division Multiple Access. This research could possibly be the beginning of a revolutionary design in wireless sensor networks. A hybrid of these two technologies could enhance the field of wireless sensor surveillance and cause a reevaluation of battery consumption in electronic devices.;This research is based on reducing the power consumption in wireless sensors. To do so the principles of Code Division Multiple Accessing (CDMA), will be applied via MATLab simulation, to theoretically reduce the power consumption in WSN. The assumption is that when the eight channels are multiplexed, the sensor will behave as if it is only transmitting with one channel. To simulate the effect of CDMA, a modified version of a Bubble Sorting Algorithm will be used.;In a bubble sort numbers in an array are sorted and outputted in various orders. For this simulation each number will represent an interval in time. The variable "c" will be the channel in which all eight audio signals will be multiplexed. When "y" equals the first number in the array the audio signal A1 will be placed on the shared channel "c". When "y" equals the second number in the array A2 will be placed on "c". This pattern will continue on through A8 then repeat itself. Theoretically the multiplexed signal should reduce the power consumption of the sensor.;This research has produced a MATLab program that computed the power consumption of a wireless sensor. The program allowed a wireless sensor eight channels to be multiplex and behaved as if only one channel was being used. In Data Logging Mode the battery life more than doubled with eight channels multiplexed at a sampling rate of 2048Hz.