Radio signal strength tracking and control for robotic networks

Abstract

Radio signal strength (RSS) is a reasonable proxy for link quality, but its accurate estimation requires frequency and spatial diversity due to fluctuation caused by fading. We consider a Rayleigh/Rician fading model, and gather RSS measurements during motion in a complex environment to enable gradient estimation. Using the RSS gradient, we develop control laws to track active sources. These may be used to establish and preserve connectivity among collaborative autonomous agents, to locate and approach radio sources, as well as deploying agents to assist mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs).