60 GHz MAC Standardization: Progress and Way Forward

Communication at mmWave frequencies has been the focus in the recent years. In this paper, we discuss standardization efforts in 60 GHz short range communication and the progress therein. We compare the available standards in terms of network architecture, medium access control mechanisms, physical layer techniques and several other features. Comparative analysis indicates that IEEE 802.11ad is likely to lead the short-range indoor communication at 60 GHz. We bring to the fore resolved and unresolved issues pertaining to robust WLAN connectivity at 60 GHz. Further, we discuss the role of mmWave bands in 5G communication scenarios and highlight the further efforts required in terms of research and standardization

Wireless industrial monitoring and control networks: the journey so far and the road ahead

While traditional wired communication technologies have played a crucial role in industrial monitoring and control networks over the past few decades, they are increasingly proving to be inadequate to meet the highly dynamic and stringent demands of today’s industrial applications, primarily due to the very rigid nature of wired infrastructures. Wireless technology, however, through its increased pervasiveness, has the potential to revolutionize the industry, not only by mitigating the problems faced by wired solutions, but also by introducing a completely new class of applications. While present day wireless technologies made some preliminary inroads in the monitoring domain, they still have severe limitations especially when real-time, reliable distributed control operations are concerned. This article provides the reader with an overview of existing wireless technologies commonly used in the monitoring and control industry. It highlights the pros and cons of each technology and assesses the degree to which each technology is able to meet the stringent demands of industrial monitoring and control networks. Additionally, it summarizes mechanisms proposed by academia, especially serving critical applications by addressing the real-time and reliability requirements of industrial process automation. The article also describes certain key research problems from the physical layer communication for sensor networks and the wireless networking perspective that have yet to be addressed to allow the successful use of wireless technologies in industrial monitoring and control networks

Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks are penetrating our daily lives, and they are starting to be deployed even in an industrial environment. The research on such industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) considers more stringent requirements of robustness, reliability, and timeliness in each network layer. This Special Issue presents the recent research result on industrial wireless sensor networks. Each paper in this Special Issue has unique contributions in the advancements of industrial wireless sensor network research and we expect each paper to promote the relevant research and the deployment of IWSNs

Analysis of the impact of wireless mobile devices in critical industrial applications

The main objective of the thesis is to study the impact of mobile nodes in industrial applications with strict reliability and time constraints in both centralized and decentralized topologies. Considering the harsh wireless channel conditions of industrial environments, that goal implies a considerable challenge. In order not to compromise the performance of the system, a deterministic Real-Time (RT) communication protocol is needed, along with a mechanism to deal with changes in the topology due to the movements of the wireless devices. The existing wireless standard technologies do not satisfy the requirements demanded by the most critical industrial applications such as Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and, thus, wired communication cannot be directly replaced by wireless solutions. Nevertheless, the adoption of wireless communications can be seen as an extension to the existing wired networks to create hybrid networks with mobility requirements. The design of a proper communication solution depends mainly on the choice of the Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol, which is responsible for controlling access to the medium and thereby plays a vital role in decreasing latency and packet errors. Furthermore, the changes in the topology due to the movement of the wireless devices must be managed correctly in order not to affect the performance of the entire network. In this doctoral thesis, a hybrid centralized architecture designed for industrial applications with strict requirements in terms of robustness, determinism and RT is proposed and evaluated. For that, a wireless RT MAC scheme based on the IEEE 802.11 physical layer is proposed along with a Real-Time Ethernet (RTE) MAC scheme. This hybrid system ensures seamless communication between both media. With the aim of including mobile devices in the proposed architecture, a soft-handover algorithm is designed and evaluated. This algorithm guarantees an uninterrupted communication during the handover process without the need for a second radio interface and with a reduced growth in network overhead. Finally, the impact of mobile nodes in a decentralized wireless topology is analysed. For that, the Self-Organizing Time Division Multiple Access (STDMA) protocol is evaluated to analyse its viability as an alternative to carrying out a handover in industrial applications without centralized systems.El objetivo principal de la tesis es estudiar el impacto de los nodos móviles en las aplicaciones inalámbricas industriales con requisitos estrictos de tiempo y robustez tanto para topologías centralizadas como descentralizadas. Este objetivo supone un gran desafío dadas las adversas condiciones del canal inalámbrico en los entornos industriales. Para no comprometer el rendimiento del sistema, es necesario un protocolo de comunicación determinista y con garantías de tiempo real, junto con un mecanismo para hacer frente a los cambios en la topología debido al movimiento de los dispositivos inalámbricos. Las tecnologías estándar inalámbricas existentes no satisfacen los requisitos exigidos por las aplicaciones industriales más críticas, como los Sistemas de Control Distribuido (DCS - Distributed Control Systems) y, por lo tanto, las comunicaciones cableadas no pueden ser reemplazadas directamente por soluciones inalámbricas. Sin embargo, la adopción de las comunicaciones inalámbricas puede verse como una extensión de las redes cableadas existentes con el objetivo de crear redes híbridas con requisitos de movilidad. El diseño de una solución de comunicación adecuada depende principalmente de la elección del protocolo de control de acceso al medio (MAC - Medium Access Control), el cual, desempeña un papel vital en la disminución de la latencia y del número de paquetes erróneos. Además, los cambios en la topología debidos al movimiento de los dispositivos inalámbricos deben gestionarse correctamente para que el rendimiento de toda la red no se vea afectado. En esta tesis doctoral se propone y se evalúa una arquitectura híbrida centralizada diseñada para aplicaciones industriales con requisitos estrictos de robustez, determinismo y tiempo real. Para ello, se propone un esquema MAC inalámbrico con garantías de tiempo real basado en la capa física IEEE 802.11 junto con un esquema MAC basado en Ethernet en tiempo real (RTE - Real-Time Ethernet). Este esquema híbrido garantiza una comunicación continua entre ambos medios de comunicación. Con el objetivo de incluir dispositivos móviles en la arquitectura propuesta, se propone y evalúa un algoritmo de soft-handover. Este algoritmo garantiza una comunicación ininterrumpida durante el proceso de handover sin la necesidad de una segunda interfaz de radio y con un aumento reducido de la sobrecarga de la red. Finalmente, se analiza el impacto de los nodos móviles en una topología inalámbrica descentralizada. Para ello, se evalúa el protocolo del estado del arte Self-Organizing Time Division Multiple Access (STDMA) con el objetivo de analizar su viabilidad como alternativa para realizar un handover en las aplicaciones industriales sin sistemas centralizados.Tesi honen helburu nagusia, nodo mugikorrek fidagarritasun eta denboraren aldetik baldintza ugari eskatzen duten aplikazio industrial zentralizatu eta deszentralizatuetan duten eragina aztertzea da. Eremu industrialetako haririk gabeko kanaletan ematen diren komunikazioetarako baldintza bereziki aurkakoak direla medio, helburu honek erronka handia sortzen du. Sarearen errendimendua arriskuan ez jartzeko, determinista eta denbora errealeko komunikazio protokolo bat beharrezkoa da, haririk gabeko nodoen mugimenduaren ondorioz topologiaren aldaketei aurre egiteko mekanismo batekin batera. Haririk gabeko teknologia estandarrek ez dute aplikazio industrial kritikoenek dituzten baldintzak betetzen eta, beraz, kable bidezko komunikazioak ezin dira haririk gabeko sistemekin ordezkatu. Hala ere, haririk gabeko komunikazioen erabilpena jadanik existitzen diren kable bidezko komunikazioen hedadura bezala kontsidera daiteke, mobilitate baldintzak dituzten sare hibridoak sortuz. Komunikazio sistemaren diseinu egokia Medium Access Control (MAC) protokoloaren hautaketa zuzenean oinarritzen da gehien bat, sarbidea kontrolatzeaz arduratzen baita, honela ezinbesteko papera izanik latentzian eta pakete erroreen murrizketan. Horretaz aparte, bai sare zentralizatu eta deszentralizatuen kasuan, haririk gabeko nodoen mugimenduek sortutako tipologia aldaketak azkar eta zuzen kudeatu behar dira sare osoko errendimenduak kalterik ez jasateko. Doktore tesi honetan, fidagarritasun zorrotz, determinismo eta denbora-errealeko baldintzak dituzten industria aplikazioetarako arkitektura hibrido zentralizatu bat proposatu eta ebaluatu da. Horretarako, IEEE 802.11 maila fisikoan oinarritutako haririk gabeko MAC eskema bat proposatu da, Real-Time Ethernet-en (RTE) oinarritutako MAC eskema batekin batera. Eskema hibrido honek bi komunikabideen artean etengabeko komunikazioa bermatzen du. Proposatutako arkitekturan nodo mugikorrak kontuan hartu ahal izateko, soft-handover algoritmo bat proposatu eta ebaluatu da. Algoritmo honek etenik gabeko komunikazioa bermatzen du handover prozesuan zehar bigarren irrati interfaze baten beharrik gabe eta sareko gainkarga oso gutxi handituz. Azkenik, nodo mugikorrek duten eragina haririk gabeko topologia deszentralizatuetan aztertu da. Horretako, bibliografiako Self-Organizing Time Division Multiple Access (STDMA) protokoloa ebaluatu da industrial aplikazioetako sistema zentralizatuen handover mekanismoaren alternatiba gisa

Wireless Sensor Networks

The aim of this book is to present few important issues of WSNs, from the application, design and technology points of view. The book highlights power efficient design issues related to wireless sensor networks, the existing WSN applications, and discusses the research efforts being undertaken in this field which put the reader in good pace to be able to understand more advanced research and make a contribution in this field for themselves. It is believed that this book serves as a comprehensive reference for graduate and undergraduate senior students who seek to learn latest development in wireless sensor networks