Adaptive WSN Routing for Critical Node Location Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are vulnerable to attacks that compromise the location privacy of critical nodes, and existing methods fail to adaptively deploy multiple routing mechanisms to effectively protect against diverse intrusion techniques while maintaining quality of service and energy efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A two-player zero-sum game model is formulated to enable the WSN manager to adaptively deploy a sequence of different routing mechanisms, such as Random Walk, Ring Routing, and Fake Packet Injection, to protect location privacy by maximizing survival time and ensuring quality of service and energy efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple routing mechanisms are deployed to protect location privacy, then location privacy preservation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation privacy preservationVSAvoidrouting mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic routing mechanism selection where the WSN manager adaptively deploys different routing mechanisms (Random Walk, Ring Routing, Phantom Base Station, Fake Packet Injection, Multi-path Routing) based on current security conditions and adversary behavior. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high location privacy preservation while managing complexity through context-aware selection rather than constant deployment of all mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters by switching between different routing mechanisms with varying degrees of privacy protection and complexity. The WSN manager adjusts which routing parameter (mechanism) is active based on game-theoretic analysis of adversary-defender interactions, allowing optimization of the balance between privacy preservation and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If routing mechanisms are deployed frequently to respond to attacks, then location privacy preservation is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation privacy preservationVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic deployment of routing mechanisms where the WSN manager selects and deploys specific routing mechanisms for certain time periods based on the game-theoretic model. Rather than continuous deployment of all mechanisms, the system periodically switches between mechanisms like Random Walk, Ring Routing, and Phantom Base Station according to the analyzed security state and predicted adversary responses, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining privacy protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by deploying only the necessary routing mechanisms for specific periods rather than all mechanisms continuously. The WSN manager determines the minimum required deployment based on game-theoretic analysis, avoiding excessive energy consumption from deploying full protective measures when lower-level protection suffices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If diverse routing mechanisms are used to counter various attack mechanisms, then adaptability against attacks is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability against attacksVSAvoidrouting mechanism management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal routing mechanism framework where a single WSN manager handles multiple routing mechanisms (Random Walk, Ring Routing, Phantom Base Station, Fake Packet Injection, Multi-path Routing) through a unified game-theoretic decision-making process. This multi-functional approach allows the system to counter various attack mechanisms (Eavesdropping, Tracing Back, Traffic_analysis, Node Compromised, ID_analysis, Collusion Stacks) with a single adaptive system rather than separate specialized mechanisms, managing complexity centrally while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from game-theoretic analysis of adversary-defender interactions to dynamically adjust routing mechanism selection. The WSN manager receives feedback about attack patterns and adjusts the deployment of diverse routing mechanisms accordingly, allowing the system to maintain high adaptability against various attacks while managing complexity through intelligent feedback-driven selection rather than brute-force deployment of all mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12501266B2System and method of routing for location privacy preservation in wireless sensor networks

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS

AI summary

A wireless sensor network (WSN) and a method of routing in a wireless sensor network (WSN) includes wireless sensor nodes for monitoring an environment and a base station having a WSN manager to which information about the environment is sent from the wireless sensor nodes via multiple hop communication. The method includes responding to an attack on the wireless sensor network by an adversary to locate critical nodes among the wireless sensor nodes by adaptively deploying a sequence of different routing mechanisms, by the WSN manager, to the wireless sensor nodes such that location privacy preservation (LPP) is protected by preventing detection of location of the critical nodes.