Software Defined Networks based Smart Grid Communication: A Comprehensive Survey

The current power grid is no longer a feasible solution due to ever-increasing user demand of electricity, old infrastructure, and reliability issues and thus require transformation to a better grid a.k.a., smart grid (SG). The key features that distinguish SG from the conventional electrical power grid are its capability to perform two-way communication, demand side management, and real time pricing. Despite all these advantages that SG will bring, there are certain issues which are specific to SG communication system. For instance, network management of current SG systems is complex, time consuming, and done manually. Moreover, SG communication (SGC) system is built on different vendor specific devices and protocols. Therefore, the current SG systems are not protocol independent, thus leading to interoperability issue. Software defined network (SDN) has been proposed to monitor and manage the communication networks globally. This article serves as a comprehensive survey on SDN-based SGC. In this article, we first discuss taxonomy of advantages of SDNbased SGC.We then discuss SDN-based SGC architectures, along with case studies. Our article provides an in-depth discussion on routing schemes for SDN-based SGC. We also provide detailed survey of security and privacy schemes applied to SDN-based SGC. We furthermore present challenges, open issues, and future research directions related to SDN-based SGC.Comment: Accepte

A Survey on Subsurface Signal Propagation

Wireless Underground Communication (WUC) is an emerging field that is being developed continuously. It provides secure mechanism of deploying nodes underground which shields them from any outside temperament or harsh weather conditions. This paper works towards introducing WUC and give a detail overview of WUC. It discusses system architecture of WUC along with the anatomy of the underground sensor motes deployed in WUC systems. It also compares Over-the-Air and Underground and highlights the major differences between the both type of channels. Since, UG communication is an evolving field, this paper also presents the evolution of the field along with the components and example UG wireless communication systems. Finally, the current research challenges of the system are presented for further improvement of the WUCs

Signals in the Soil: An Introduction to Wireless Underground Communications

In this chapter, wireless underground (UG) communications are introduced. A detailed overview of WUC is given. A comprehensive review of research challenges in WUC is presented. The evolution of underground wireless is also discussed. Moreover, different component of UG communications is wireless. The WUC system architecture is explained with a detailed discussion of the anatomy of an underground mote. The examples of UG wireless communication systems are explored. Furthermore, the differences of UG wireless and over-the-air wireless are debated. Different types of wireless underground channel (e.g., In-Soil, Soil-to-Air, and Air-to-Soil) are reported as well

Adapting Deep Learning for Underwater Acoustic Communication Channel Modeling

The recent emerging applications of novel underwater systems lead to increasing demand for underwater acoustic (UWA) communication and networking techniques. However, due to the challenging UWA channel characteristics, conventional wireless techniques are rarely applicable to UWA communication and networking. The cognitive and software-defined communication and networking are considered promising architecture of a novel UWA system design. As an essential component of a cognitive communication system, the modeling and prediction of the UWA channel impulse response (CIR) with deep generative models are studied in this work. Firstly, an underwater acoustic communication and networking testbed is developed for conducting various simulations and field experiments. The proposed test-bed also demonstrated the capabilities of developing and testing SDN protocols for a UWA network in both simulation and field experiments. Secondly, due to the lack of appropriate UWA CIR data sets for deep learning, a series of field UWA channel experiments have been conducted across a shallow freshwater river. Abundant UWA CIR data under various weather conditions have been collected and studied. The environmental factors that significantly affect the UWA channel state, including the solar radiation rate, the air temperature, the ice cover, the precipitation rate, etc., are analyzed in the case studies. The obtained UWA CIR data set with significant correlations to weather conditions can benefit future deep-learning research on UWA channels. Thirdly, a Wasserstein conditional generative adversarial network (WCGAN) is proposed to model the observed UWA CIR distribution. A power-weighted Jensen–Shannon divergence (JSD) is proposed to measure the similarity between the generated distribution and the experimental observations. The CIR samples generated by the WCGAN model show a lower power-weighted JSD than conventional estimated stochastic distributions. Finally, a modified conditional generative adversarial network (CGAN) model is proposed for predicting the UWA CIR distribution in the 15-minute range near future. This prediction model takes a sequence of historical and forecast weather information with a recent CIR observation as the conditional input. The generated CIR sample predictions also show a lower power-weighted JSD than conventional estimated stochastic distributions

Cost-Effective and Energy-Efficient Techniques for Underwater Acoustic Communication Modems

Finally, the modem developed has been tested experimentally in laboratory (aquatic environment) showing that can communicates at different data rates (100..1200 bps) compared to state-of-the-art research modems. The software used include LabVIEW, MATLAB, Simulink, and Multisim (to test the electronic circuit built) has been employed.Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) are widely used in many applications related to ecosystem monitoring, and many more fields. Due to the absorption of electromagnetic waves in water and line-of-sight communication of optical waves, acoustic waves are the most suitable medium of communication in underwater environments. Underwater acoustic modem (UAM) is responsible for the transmission and reception of acoustic signals in an aquatic channel. Commercial modems may communicate at longer distances with reliability, but they are expensive and less power efficient. Research modems are designed by using a digital-signal-processor (DSP is expensive) and field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA is high power consuming device). In addition to, the use of a microcontroller is also a common practice (which is less expensive) but provides limited computational power. Hence, there is a need for a cost-effective and energy-efficient UAM to be used in budget limited applications. In this thesis different objectives are proposed. First, to identify the limitations of state-of-the-art commercial and research UAMs through a comprehensive survey. The second contribution has been the design of a low-cost acoustic modem for short-range underwater communications by using a single board computer (Raspberry-Pi), and a microcontroller (Atmega328P). The modulator, demodulator and amplifiers are designed with discrete components to reduce the overall cost. The third contribution is to design a web based underwater acoustic communication testbed along with a simulation platform (with underwater channel and sound propagation models), for testing modems. The fourth contribution is to integrate in a single module two important modules present in UAMs: the PSK modulator and the power amplifier

On the Road to 6G: Visions, Requirements, Key Technologies and Testbeds

Fifth generation (5G) mobile communication systems have entered the stage of commercial development, providing users with new services and improved user experiences as well as offering a host of novel opportunities to various industries. However, 5G still faces many challenges. To address these challenges, international industrial, academic, and standards organizations have commenced research on sixth generation (6G) wireless communication systems. A series of white papers and survey papers have been published, which aim to define 6G in terms of requirements, application scenarios, key technologies, etc. Although ITU-R has been working on the 6G vision and it is expected to reach a consensus on what 6G will be by mid-2023, the related global discussions are still wide open and the existing literature has identified numerous open issues. This paper first provides a comprehensive portrayal of the 6G vision, technical requirements, and application scenarios, covering the current common understanding of 6G. Then, a critical appraisal of the 6G network architecture and key technologies is presented. Furthermore, existing testbeds and advanced 6G verification platforms are detailed for the first time. In addition, future research directions and open challenges are identified for stimulating the on-going global debate. Finally, lessons learned to date concerning 6G networks are discussed

Integration of LoRa Wide Area Network with the 5G Test Network

Abstract. The global communication network is going through major transformation from conventional to more versatile and diversified network approaches. With the advent of virtualization and cloud technology, information technology (IT) is merging with telecommunications to alter the conventional approaches of traditional proprietary networking techniques. From radio to network and applications, the existing infrastructure lacks several features that we wished to be part of 5th Generation Mobile Networks (5G). Having a support for large number of applications, Internet of Things (IoT) will bring a major evolution by creating a comfortable, flexible and an automated environment for end users. A network having the capability to support radio protocols on top of basic networking protocols, when blended with a platform which can generate IoT use cases, can make the expectations of 5G a reality. Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies can be utilized with other emerging and suitable technologies for IoT applications. To implement a network where all the technologies can be deployed virtually to serve their applications within a single cloud, Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Network (SDN) is introduced to implement such a networking possibility for upcoming technologies. The 5G Test Network (5GTN), a testbed for implementing and testing 5G features in real time, is deployed in virtual platform which allows to add other technologies for IoT applications. To implement a network with an IoT enabler technology, LoRa Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) technology can be integrated to test the feasibility and capability of IoT implications. LoRaWAN being an IoT enabler technology is chosen out of several possibilities to be integrated with the 5GTN. Using MultiConnect Conduit as a gateway, the integration is realized by establishing point to point protocol (PPP) connection with eNodeB. Once the connection is established, LoRa packets are forwarded to the ThingWorx IoT cloud and responses can be received by the end-devices from that IoT cloud by using Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol. Wireshark, an open source packet analyser, is then used to ensure successful transmission of packets to the ThingWorx using the 5GTN default packet routes

Enabling emergent configurations in the industrial internet of things for oil and gas explorations : a survey

Abstract: Several heterogeneous, intelligent, and distributed devices can be connected to interact with one another over the Internet in what is termed internet of things (IoT). Also, the concept of IoT can be exploited in the industrial environment for enhancing the production of goods and services and for mitigating the risk of disaster occurrences. This application of IoT for enhancing industrial production is known as industrial IoT (IIoT). Emergent configuration (EC) is a technology that can be adopted to enhance the operation and collaboration of IoT connected devices in order to improve the efficiency of the connected IoT systems for maximum user satisfaction. To meet user goals, the connected devices are required to cooperate with one another in an adaptive, interoperable, and homogeneous manner. In this paper, a survey of the concept of IoT is presented in addition to a review of IIoT systems. The application of ubiquitous computing-aided software define networking (SDN)-based EC architecture is propounded for enhancing the throughput of oil and gas production in the maritime ecosystems by managing the exploration process especially in emergency situations that involve anthropogenic oil and gas spillages