Optimal decision rule-based ex-ante frequency hopping for jamming avoidance in wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we consider a static wireless sensor network (WSN) affected by a constant, static jammer. Both the nodes in the network and the jammer are capable of switching frequencies. Existing literature mostly thrive on mechanisms with a mutually pre-decided hopping-sequence or on random frequency-hopping techniques. However, these mechanisms often fall short in the context of energy-constrained WSNs. We propose a frequency-hopping strategy based on the optimal decision rule. The proposed solution takes into account the individual decision profiles of all the concerned nodes, and finally, makes the decision for the welfare of the overall network. The objective is to find an optimal frequency hopping rule to obtain the maximum throughput. We observe that the packet delivery ratio of the network improves by approximately 30% after the application of the optimal decision rule for frequency-hopping. The overall network energy consumption is also improved by approximately 53% by the application of the proposed solution approach, as observed from the results.