Search

This study evaluates the performance of a practical IEEE 802.15.4/4e/4g low-rate (LR) wireless personal area network (WPAN) with multiple physical (PHY) layers and multi-hop capabilities for smart utility networks, machine-tomachine networks and other advanced sensor networks. The proposal includes realistic design considerations addressing demands of practical applications, country-specific regulatory requirements and technical specification in international standards. A cross-layer open system interconnection model from the application, transport, network, medium access control, down to the multiple PHY layers is constructed based on the specification in IEEE 802.15.4 LR-WPAN and other layer-specific standards. Employing the cross-layer model, extensive computer simulations were conducted to investigate the performance of the LR-WPAN system in this application domain. As a result, the authors have successfully verified the simulated achievable average throughput in both PHY layer designs, multi-rate and multi-regional frequency shift keying (MR-FSK) and multi-rate and multi-regional orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MR-OFDM) with the theoretical throughput by calculation. Secondly, in a multi-PHY environment with the presence of 30 interferer devices, throughput degradation of the victim system is observed within 30%. Furthermore, when interferer devices transmit frames with interval beyond 1 s, the degradation to the victim system becomes negligible. Thirdly, MR-FSK PHY has a simpler design with higher energy-efficiency, whereas MR-OFDM PHY is more complicated with more resilience to interference. They have found an interference tolerance capability difference of 15 dB between the MR-FSK and MR-OFDM systems. Fourthly, comparing with their single-hop counterparts, multi-hop systems have lower average throughput in MR-FSK by 25% and MR-OFDM by 10%. Finally, comparing with networks with periodical beacon transmissions, asynchronous networks have more inferior average throughput of 20% in MR-FSK and 3% in MR-OFDM, with the advantage of longer battery lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective technique is presented to enhance the bandwidth and reduce the size of an ultralow-profile microstrip antenna. By loading multicouple staggered slots on the patch and using inset feed structure, two TM10 modes can be excited at two close frequencies and matched well simultaneously. Designs based on the structures with four-, five-, and six-couple staggered slots have been made to demonstrate the effective technique. To the best designed results, the presented ultralow-profile microstrip antenna obtains a bandwidth enhancement of about two times and a size reduction of about 60% compared with the ordinary one. The technique is suitable for radio-frequency front-end antenna integration and package in microwave and millimeter-wave bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]