Identification of a characteristic of a physical system based on collaborative sensor networks

A node for identifying a characteristic of an event based on a measurement relating to the event and based on probability distribution descriptions received from other nodes, each probability distribution description indicating a probability distribution of the characteristic, the node comprising:

• a sensor for collecting a measurement relating to the event;
• a communication component for communicating with other nodes;
• and
• a computing device that includes:
• one or more computer-readable storage mediums for storing computer-executable instructions for controlling the computing device to:
• receive via that communication component from each of a plurality of other nodes a probability distribution description and a gradient derived from samplings of the probability distributions by the other nodes;
• generate a probability distribution description based on the received probability distribution descriptions and gradients;
• sample values for the characteristic based on the generated probability distribution description;
• calculate a gradient derived from the sampled values, the generated probability distribution description, and a joint probability distribution of the sampled values and the measurement;
• and
• send via the communication component to a subset of other node the generated probability distribution description and the calculated gradient;
• and
• one or more processors for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the one or more computer-readable storage mediums.

A method performed by a node associated with a sensor and a computing device for identifying a characteristic of an event, the method comprising:

• collecting via the sensor a measurement of the characteristic;
• and
• repeatedly performing the following until termination criterion is satisfied,
• for each of a plurality of other nodes, receiving information relating to a value for the characteristic, the information including probability distribution information relating to a probability distribution of values for the characteristic as determined by that node;
• combining the information received from the other nodes to generate combined information that includes combined probability distribution information;
• sampling values of the characteristic from a probability distribution based on the combined probability distribution information;
• calculating information for the node that includes calculated probability distribution information derived from the sampled values and the combined probability distribution information;
• and
• sending to a subset of other nodes the calculated information
• wherein when the termination criterion is satisfied, the probability distribution of the combined information represents values of the characteristic of the event.