Communication

Networks
ETSETB

Layer 2 Wireless Sensor Networks

Jordi Casademont
jordi.casademont@upc.edu
Building C3 room 311
Communication Networks

SYLLABUS
q

Other wireless network technologies

ETSETB

Low-Rate Wireless Personal Networks

Multihop Ad Hoc Networking
IEEE 802.15.4
ZigBee
6LoWPAN (IETF)

Communication Networks

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANET)

q
q
q

Temporary formed networks

Without predefined infrastructure
Key features:
n

ETSETB

n
n
n
n
n

Dynamic network topology

Distributed network nature
Multihop communication
Limited bandwidth
Energy constrains
Vulnerability to intruders and
malicious attacks

Advantages:
n
n

Easy to develop
No infrastructure required

Communication Networks

Multihop Motivation (I)

WLAN bit rate versus distance

ETSETB

Communication Networks

Multihop Motivation (II)

One hop versus multihop

ETSETB

Communication Networks

Mesh Approaches (I)

Networks with infrastructure

ETSETB

Communication Networks

Mesh Approaches (II)

q

Networks without infrastructure

Made with user devices

ETSETB

Communication Networks

Mesh Approaches (III)

Hybrid networks

ETSETB

Communication Networks

Terminology
q

Multihop
n

Mesh
n

ETSETB

General concept
With or without infrastructure

MANET

Ad-hoc

Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

Self configuring

Wireless Sensor Networks

n

Low consumption

Communication Networks

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANET)

q
q

Origins in 1972: Packet Radio NETwork program (PRNET)

Other organizations that worked on that since then:
n

ETSETB

IEEE (802.11, 802.15, 802.16), IETF (MANET WG), ETSI

(HIPERLAN)

Types of ad hoc networks

n

n
n

Mobile Ad Hoc NETworks: MANET

Global sense but more focused to Wide Area Networks
Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks: WMAN (802.16 - WiMAX)
Wireless Personal Area Networks: WPAN (802.15.1 - Bluetooth)
Person centered
Wireless Local Area Networks: WLAN (802.11 - Wi-Fi)
Home, office environments
Wireless Sensor Networks: WSN (802.15.4 - ZigBee)

Communication Networks

10

Mesh Networks Applications

ETSETB

Broadband distribution:
n

Indoors

Outdoors

Communication Networks

11

Mesh Networks Applications

q

Municipality networks
n

ETSETB

Free access to Internet to the

citizen
Private usage
Police
Maintenance teams
Surveillance

Communication Networks

12

Opportunistic networking
q

Get profit of the mobility of the nodes to assure information

transfer in case intermittent connectivity
n
n

ETSETB

n
n

Use a node as data transportation means

Also identified as Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN)
User mobility and routing are combined
Experiences
Saami Network Connectivity
SanVi-sense

Communication Networks

13

VANETs
q
q

ETSETB

q
q

Vehicular Adhoc Networks towards Intelligent Transportation

System (ITS)
Promoted by regulatory initiatives from the government
Usage: Data from the road and other vehicles
Type of information
n
n

Emergency notification, Warnings about traffic conditions

Road condition, Weather forecast

VANETs do not suffer from limitations such

n
n

Power availability
Processing

Communication Networks

14

Wireless Sensor Networks

q
q

Control (actuator) and monitor (sensor) networks

Initial approach
n

ETSETB

Present approach
n
n

Data collecting networks

Wired

Ad-hoc capacity
Local processing
Wireless
Easy deployment

Internet of things

Communication Networks

15

ETSETB

Applications of USN: Ubiquitous Sensor Networks

Communication Networks

16

ETSETB

Wireless Sensor Networks

Communication Networks

17

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN)

A large number of low-cost, low-power, multifunctional, and
small sensor nodes

Sensor node consists of sensing, data processing, and

communicating components

Position of sensor nodes does not need be pre-determined.

ETSETB

Sensor network protocols and algorithms must possess selforganizing capabilities.

Communication Networks

18

Technologies
q
q
q

ETSETB

q
q

Processor
Transceiver
Memory
Operating System
Programming language
n
n
n
n

Sensing part

Sensor

ADC

Processing part

Transmission part

Processor
Memory

Transceiver

Power unit

External
power
source

NesC
C
Java, J2ME,
...

Communication Networks

19

ETSETB

Computer Revolution

Original IBM PC (1981)

MICAZ Mote (2005)

4.77 MHz

8 MHz

16-256 KB RAM

128 KB RAM

160 KB Floppies

512 KB Flash

~ $6K (today)

~ $60

~ 64 W

~14 mW

10 Kg, 19.5 x 5.5 x 16 inch

200 gr, 2.25 x 1.25 x 0.25 inch

Communication Networks

20

Sensor board components

Example: TELOS mote

ETSETB

Communication Networks

21

Sensor board components

Example: TELOS mote

ETSETB

Communication Networks

22

Operating systems
q
q
q

ETSETB

q
q
q
q

TinyOS
FreeRTOS
RETOS
C/OS II
AMBIENT RT
Nano-Qplus
Contiki

The Linux of
sensor node OS

Integrated with
IP stack

Communication Networks

23

Examples of light sensor

q

Photodiode
n

Photoresistor

ETSETB

Example
From moonlight light (1 lux) to TV studio lightning (1000 lux)

Communication Networks

24

WSN Protocol architecture

ZigBee - Application

ETSETB

ZigBee - Network

Application

6LowPAN

IEEE 802.15.4 MAC

IEEE 802.15.4
868/915 MHz
PHY

IEEE 802.15.4
2400 MHz
PHY

Routing
Address resolution
Packet fragmentation
Profiles
Channel acquirement
Access control
MAC addressing
Error control
Packet transmission
Packet reception
Battery management

Communication Networks

25

IEEE 802.15.4 operational position

LR-WPAN: Low Rate Wireless Personal Area Network

ETSETB

Communication Networks

26

MAC layers
q
q

ETSETB

q
q
q
q
q

Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance

(CSMA/CA)
Sensor-MAC (S-MAC)
WiseMAC
Traffic-adaptive MAC protocol (TRAMA)
Sift
DMAC
Timeout-MAC (T-MAC) / Dynamic Sensor MAC (DS-MAC)

Communication Networks

27

Routing protocols
q

Proactive
n
n
n

Reactive
n

ETSETB

n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n

DSDV: Destination Sequenced Distance Vector

WRP: Wireless Routing Protocol
CGSR: Cluster Switch Gateway Routing
ABR: Associability Based Routing
DSR: Dynamic Source Routing
TORA: Temporally Ordered Routing Algorithm
AODV: Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing
DYMO: Dynamic MANET On-demand DYMO-low
RDMAR: Relative Distance Microdiversity Routing
SSR: Signal Stability Routing
LAR: Location-Aided Routing
PAR: Power-Aware Routing

Hybrid
n

ZRP: Zone Routing Protocol

Communication Networks

28

Transport protocols
q

Adapting TCP
n
n
n

ETSETB

IP stack 4 - 5 kB
nanoIP 1 kB
PICNIC less than 2 kB
IPv6-based stack 10 kB

Specific protocols
n
n
n
n
n

Sensor Transmission Control Protocol (STCP)

Congestion Detection and Avoidance (CODA)
ESRT
RMST
RBC

Communication Networks

29

ETSETB

IEEE802.15.4

Communication Networks

30

IEEE 802.15.4: Purpose

Very low consumption

Low complexity
Low cost

How to get it?

ETSETB

n
n
n

Networks that until now were

unviable

Few transmissions with few data

Very small working cycles
Very small headers

Communication Networks

31

Physical layer
q

IEEE 802.15.4-2003
Frequency band

ETSETB

868 MHz
915 MHz
2.4 GHz

Number of
channels
1
10
16

Symbol rate
(kbaud)
20
40
62.5

Modulation

Bit rate (kbps)

BPSK
BPSK
16-ary

20
40
250

IEEE 802.15.4-2006
Frequency band
868 MHz
915 MHz
868 MHz
915 MHz

Communication Networks

Number of
channels
1
10
1
10

Symbol rate
(kbaud)
12,5
50
25
62,5

Modulation

Bit rate (kbps)

20-bit PSSS
5-bt PSSS

250
250
100
250

16-ary Orthogonal
16-ary Orthogonal

32

Physical layer
Channel 0

ETSETB

868.3 MHz

Channel 1-10

902 MHz

Channel 11- 26

2.4 GHz

2 MHz

928 MHz

5 Mhz

2.4835 GHz

Communication Networks

33

Physical layer
q
q

IEEE 802.15.4a-2007
16 more channels at bands:
n
n

ETSETB

Data rates:
n
n

500 MHz: subGHz

3-5 GHz: low band
6-10 GHz: high band
From 100 Kbps to 27 Mbps
1 Mbps at 2.4 GHz

It enables improved localization measures using a physical

band with Impulse Radio Ultra Wide Band (IR-UWB)
n

500 MHz channels will provide accuracy of 1 m

Communication Networks

34

MAC Layer
q
q

802.15.4/ZigBee networks are managed using PANs (Personal

Area Networks)
Each PAN has:
n

ETSETB

PAN ID
Independent address system

Device types:
n

Full Function Device: FFD

It is capable to accept any role in the network
Reduced Function Device: RFD
It has limited capabilities:
It is able to communicate only with FDD devices
Intended for very simple applications:
Ex: turning on/off a switch
Less processing power and memory size than FFD and cheaper!

Communication Networks

35

Device Roles
q

IEEE 802.15.4 terminology

n

ETSETB

PAN Coordinator (FFD)

Relaying messages
Select an unique PAN ID
Some other control functions: beacon tx
Coordinator (FFD)
Relaying messages
Device (FFD or RFD)
A device not acting as a coordinator

Be careful with ZigBee terminology

n
n
n

ZigBee Coordinator (like 802.15.4 PAN coordinator)

ZigBee Router (like 802.15.4 coordinator)
ZigBee End Device (like 802.15.4 PAN Device)

Communication Networks

36

Network topologies
q

Star topology
n

ETSETB

n
n

All devices must communicate through PAN

Coordinator (FFD)
Usually it is the initiation or the termination
point for communications
PAN coord. uses to be mains powered
Home automation, personal computer
peripherals, toys and games, health care

Peer-to-peer topology
n

n
n

Any device may communicate with any other in

range
It allows more complex network formations
Industrial control applications, wireless sensor
networks, intelligent agriculture

Communication Networks

37

Medium Access mechanism

q

Two access policies:

ETSETB

Contention Free
Low latency
Guaranteed access
Slot reservation
Inefficient
Reserved slot may not be used
Contention
Without latency requirements
CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision
Avoidance)

Special packet: Beacon

n

Broadcast message containing system information

Communication Networks

38

Medium Access mechanism

q

2 possibilities:

ETSETB

Unslotted CSMA/CA
Non-beacon enabled operating mode:
Devices don't need beacons to transmit
Beacon can be transmitted to broadcast PAN
information
Slotted CSMA/CA
Beacon enabled operating mode
All devices in the PAN must wake up to listen the
beacon
It is possible to define Contention Free Periods
GTS: Guaranteed Time Slots
Requires all devices in the PAN to be synchronized

Communication Networks

39

Unslotted CSMA/CA
q

Similar to 802.11 but nonpersistent:

ETSETB

Devices wishing to transmit do not

listen the medium when
performing backoff
Saves energy

Parameters
n

NB: Number of backoffs:

To give up Tx attempt
BE: Backoff Exponent (min=3)
To increase CW
Backoff period unit = 20 symbols

Communication Networks

40

Acknowledgement
q

Acknowledgement optional
n

12 symbols tack 12 + 20 symbols

Time for data processing in nodes:

ETSETB

IFS (Inter Frame Space):

SIFS: Short IFS (12 symbols)
LIFS: Long IFS (40 symbols)

Communication Networks

41

IEEE 802.15.4: Slotted CSMA/CA

q
q
q

PAN coordinator controls medium access and transmits

beacons
Two beacons define a superframe
Combination of:

ETSETB

n
n
n
n

Active period
Inactive period: Low-power mode
CAP: random access similar access method than non slotted
CFP: scheduled access (optional)
Nodes request bandwidth to coordinator during CAP period

Communication Networks

42

GTS allocation
q

Active period is divided in 16 slots

n

Node sends request to coordinator with number of desired

consecutive slots

ETSETB

Coordinator sends ACK but doesn't grant anything

3 possibilities:
n

GTS 7 slots

OK: Allocated GTS inserted in beacons

Repeated in different superframes until revoked
Not enough slots available
Notification to device and renegotiation
No slot assignation: failure

If not enough assigned GTS

CAP

Communication Networks

43

ETSETB

6LowPAN IETF
(IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area
Networks)

Communication Networks

44

Internet Vision of WSN

q

The first versions of WSN were situations similar to that of

80s where each LAN had different protocol architectures
Wireless
HART

Wavenis

ISA SP100.11a

ETSETB

ZigBee
Gateway to
translate protocols

Internet

INSTEON

Bluetooth
Low Energy

Dust Networks/TSMP

Z-Wave
ONE-NET

XMesh

Communication Networks

45

Internet Vision of WSN

q
q

ETSETB

CoAP

Solution: usage of IP in sensor nodes

Advantages of IPv6:
Huge address space: 128 bits
addresses
Tools for unattended operation:
autoconfiguration

Protocols architecture for Internet of

Things:
n

IETF 6LoWPAN WG
IPv6 datagrams transmission over
IEEE 802.15.4 networks
IETF ROLL WG
Routing: RPL
IETF CoRE WG
Application Level: CoAP

Communication Networks

UDP
IPv6

RPL

6LoWPAN
IEEE 802.15.4 MAC
IEEE 802.15.4 PHY
46

6LoWPAN
q

Architecture according to different routing mechanisms:

Mesh-under versus Route-over (RFC 4944)

ETSETB

IP Tasks
Tasks under IP
IP Hop

IP Hop

Communication Networks

47

6LoWPAN
q

Route-over:
n

Standard way of routing in Internet

Mesh-under:
IP layer has no visibility of what happens in layer 2 path

ETSETB

Communication Networks

48

ETSETB

ZigBee

Communication Networks

49

ZigBee Vision
q
q

Protocols architecture over IEEE 802.15.4

Developed and promoted by ZigBee Alliance
n

user dened

Generic purpose
n

ETSETB

First version in 2004

Application profiles

Dened by ZigBee alliance

Dened by IEEE

Communication Networks

50

ETSETB

ZigBee: profiles
ZigBee Building
Automation

ZigBee Retail Services

ZigBee Smart Energy

ZigBee Telecom Services

ZigBee Home Automation

ZigBee 3D Sync

ZigBee Remote Control

ZigBee Health Care

ZigBee Input Device

Communication Networks

51

ZigBee Versions
q
q
q

ZigBee 2004: First version

ZigBee 2006: Most used nowadays
ZigBee 2007 also named ZigBee Pro:
n

ETSETB

n
n

Optimization of Network Level

Data aggregation
Some new profiles

Communication Networks

52

ZigBee Network Layer tasks

q

Network layer:
n
n
n

ETSETB

n
n
n
n
n

Create a new network

Join and leave a network
Assign Network addresses to newly associated devices
Discover one-hop neighbours
Store pertinent neighbour information
Discover and maintain routes between devices
Route frames to their intended destinations
Apply security to frames

Communication Networks

53

ZigBee

Application:

ETSETB

Application Support Sublayer (APS)

Maintaining tables for binding (the ability to match two
devices together based on their services and needs)
Forwarding messages between bound devices
Address mapping from 64 bit MAC to 16 bit NWK
Fragmentation, reassembly and reliable data transport

Communication Networks

54

ZigBee

Application:

ETSETB

ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO)

Defining the role of the device within the network (device or
coordinator)
Initiating and/or responding to binding requests
Establishing a secure relationship between network devices
Discovering devices and determining which application
services they provide

Communication Networks

55