Lessons learned from wireless sensor networks with application to AMR and PLC

Josep M. Selga*, Agustín Zaballos, Guiomar Corral, Joan Vives

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Book chapterConference contributionpeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) presents many parallelisms with the fast emerging field of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) even if for this purpose they use the power cables as transmission medium. Among these parallelisms it is worthwhile to mention that both systems are essentially multihop and operate in a very noisy environment. For this reason the present paper reviews relevant results in the field of WSN with application to PLC based AMR systems and extracts lessons applicable to AMR and to PLC in general. Based on these lessons, this paper develops a theoretical model called the "Star of chains model" with regularly spaced devices forming chains that connect to a concentrator station, which is useful to derive the capacity of a system and to provide some basic rules of the thumb for creating it. A specific and simple MAC layer protocol based on the WSN protocol known as "Ripple control" is proposed to take the most out of the presented model. This protocol allows for good throughput while coping with the necessary retransmissions in noisy environments and with the necessary creation of periods of contention for the automatic registration of new nodes. The protocol may useful also for other applications in narrow band PLC as well as in Broadband Powerline Communications (BPL). A simulation based on OPNET modeler has been developed to check the capacity calculations. The model and protocol presented are a first step that will be refined and extended in the future.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2007 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications, ISPLC'07
Pages98-103
Number of pages6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007
Event2007 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications, ISPLC'07 - Pisa, Italy
Duration: 26 Mar 200728 Mar 2007

Publication series

Name2007 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications, ISPLC'07

Conference

Conference2007 IEEE International Symposium on Power Line Communications and Its Applications, ISPLC'07
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityPisa
Period26/03/0728/03/07

Keywords

  • AMR
  • Capacity
  • MAC protocols
  • Multihop
  • PLC
  • WSN

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