Proposition and validation of an original MAC layer with simultaneous medium accesses for low latency wireless control/command applications

Control/command processes require a transmission system with some characteristics like high reliability, low latency and strong guarantees on messages delivery. Concerning wire networks, field buses technologies like FIP offer this kind of service (periodic tasks, real time constraints...). Unfortunately, few wireless technologies can propose a communication system which respects such constraints. Indeed, wireless transmissions must deal with medium characteristics which make impossible the direct translation of mechanisms used with wire networks. The purpose of this paper is to present an original Medium Access Control (MAC) layer for a real time Low Power-Wireless Personal Area Network (LP-WPAN). The proposed MAC-layer has been validated by several complementary methods; in this paper, we focus on the specific Simultaneous Guaranteed Time Slot (SGTS) part

An Adaptive Algorithm to Optimize the Dynamics of IEEE 802.15.4 Networks

Presentado en ICST 2013IEEE 802.15.4 standard is becoming one of the most popular technologies for the deployment of low rate Wireless Personal Area Networks with strong power constraints. In order to reduce the energy consumption, beacon-enabled networks with long network inactive periods can be employed. However, the duration of these inactivity periods, as some other configuration parameters, are conventionally set to default values and remain fixed during the whole network operation. This implies that if they are misconfigured the network will not adapt to changes in the conditions of the environment, particularly to the most determining one, i.e. the traffic load. This paper proposes a simple procedure for the dynamic adaptation of several key parameters of IEEE 802.15.4 networks. Under this procedure, the 802.15.4 parameters are modified as a function of the existing traffic conditions.Spanish National Project No.TEC2009-13763-C02-01

A Smart Game for Data Transmission and Energy Consumption in the Internet of Things

The current trend in developing smart technology for the Internet of Things (IoT) has motivated a lot of research interest in optimizing data transmission or minimizing energy consumption, but with little evidence of proposals for achieving both objectives in a single model. Using the concept of game theory, we develop a new MAC protocol for IEEE 802.15.4 and IoT networks in which we formulate a novel expression for the players' utility function and establish a stable Nash equilibrium (NE) for the game. The proposed IEEE 802.15.4 MAC protocol is modeled as a smart game in which analytical expressions are derived for channel access probability, data transmission probability, and energy used. These analytical expressions are used in formulating an optimization problem (OP) that maximizes data transmission and minimizes energy consumption by nodes. The analysis and simulation results suggest that the proposed scheme is scalable and achieves better performance in terms of data transmission, energy-efficiency, and longevity, when compared with the default IEEE 802.15.4 access mechanism.Peer reviewe

A comprehensive survey of wireless body area networks on PHY, MAC, and network layers solutions

Recent advances in microelectronics and integrated circuits, system-on-chip design, wireless communication and intelligent low-power sensors have allowed the realization of a Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN). A WBAN is a collection of low-power, miniaturized, invasive/non-invasive lightweight wireless sensor nodes that monitor the human body functions and the surrounding environment. In addition, it supports a number of innovative and interesting applications such as ubiquitous healthcare, entertainment, interactive gaming, and military applications. In this paper, the fundamental mechanisms of WBAN including architecture and topology, wireless implant communication, low-power Medium Access Control (MAC) and routing protocols are reviewed. A comprehensive study of the proposed technologies for WBAN at Physical (PHY), MAC, and Network layers is presented and many useful solutions are discussed for each layer. Finally, numerous WBAN applications are highlighted

A critical analysis of research potential, challenges and future directives in industrial wireless sensor networks

In recent years, Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs) have emerged as an important research theme with applications spanning a wide range of industries including automation, monitoring, process control, feedback systems and automotive. Wide scope of IWSNs applications ranging from small production units, large oil and gas industries to nuclear fission control, enables a fast-paced research in this field. Though IWSNs offer advantages of low cost, flexibility, scalability, self-healing, easy deployment and reformation, yet they pose certain limitations on available potential and introduce challenges on multiple fronts due to their susceptibility to highly complex and uncertain industrial environments. In this paper a detailed discussion on design objectives, challenges and solutions, for IWSNs, are presented. A careful evaluation of industrial systems, deadlines and possible hazards in industrial atmosphere are discussed. The paper also presents a thorough review of the existing standards and industrial protocols and gives a critical evaluation of potential of these standards and protocols along with a detailed discussion on available hardware platforms, specific industrial energy harvesting techniques and their capabilities. The paper lists main service providers for IWSNs solutions and gives insight of future trends and research gaps in the field of IWSNs

Energy-Efficiency Analysis of a Distributed Queuing Medium Access Control Protocol for Biomedical Wireless Sensor Networks in Saturation Conditions

The aging population and the high quality of life expectations in our society lead to the need of more efficient and affordable healthcare solutions. For this reason, this paper aims for the optimization of Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols for biomedical wireless sensor networks or wireless Body Sensor Networks (BSNs). The hereby presented schemes always have in mind the efficient management of channel resources and the overall minimization of sensors’ energy consumption in order to prolong sensors’ battery life. The fact that the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC does not fully satisfy BSN requirements highlights the need for the design of new scalable MAC solutions, which guarantee low-power consumption to the maximum number of body sensors in high density areas (i.e., in saturation conditions). In order to emphasize IEEE 802.15.4 MAC limitations, this article presents a detailed overview of this de facto standard for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which serves as a link for the introduction and initial description of our here proposed Distributed Queuing (DQ) MAC protocol for BSN scenarios. Within this framework, an extensive DQ MAC energy-consumption analysis in saturation conditions is presented to be able to evaluate its performance in relation to IEEE 802.5.4 MAC in highly dense BSNs. The obtained results show that the proposed scheme outperforms IEEE 802.15.4 MAC in average energy consumption per information bit, thus providing a better overall performance that scales appropriately to BSNs under high traffic conditions. These benefits are obtained by eliminating back-off periods and collisions in data packet transmissions, while minimizing the control overhead

Goodbye, ALOHA!

©2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.The vision of the Internet of Things (IoT) to interconnect and Internet-connect everyday people, objects, and machines poses new challenges in the design of wireless communication networks. The design of medium access control (MAC) protocols has been traditionally an intense area of research due to their high impact on the overall performance of wireless communications. The majority of research activities in this field deal with different variations of protocols somehow based on ALOHA, either with or without listen before talk, i.e., carrier sensing multiple access. These protocols operate well under low traffic loads and low number of simultaneous devices. However, they suffer from congestion as the traffic load and the number of devices increase. For this reason, unless revisited, the MAC layer can become a bottleneck for the success of the IoT. In this paper, we provide an overview of the existing MAC solutions for the IoT, describing current limitations and envisioned challenges for the near future. Motivated by those, we identify a family of simple algorithms based on distributed queueing (DQ), which can operate for an infinite number of devices generating any traffic load and pattern. A description of the DQ mechanism is provided and most relevant existing studies of DQ applied in different scenarios are described in this paper. In addition, we provide a novel performance evaluation of DQ when applied for the IoT. Finally, a description of the very first demo of DQ for its use in the IoT is also included in this paper.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft