Optimal Link Scheduling Based on Attributes of Nodes in 6TiSCH Wireless Networks

Abstract

In order to implement IPv6 centric Time Slotted Channel Hopping (6TiSCH) wireless network offering features of collision-free link transmission and efficient use of network resource, a link scheduling algorithm utilizing attributes of nodes is proposed. The proposed algorithm attempts to optimize the link scheduling in each slotframe by assigning specific priorities to the member nodes of the network. The priority of link transmission from each node is determined at the sink node by considering the attributes of the node, e.g., its rank assigned within the network, Interference-plus-Noise (IN) measured at the node, and the number of packets of the node to transmit within the slotframe. The attributes of member nodes are transmitted to the sink node over a few time slots in the beginning of each slotframe. Based on the priorities of member nodes, distributed link scheduling is executed. The distributed link scheduling allows non-sequential and parallel transmissions. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with those of other recently reported link scheduling algorithms WAVE, DeTAS, and DeAMON in terms of packet delivery ratio and the number of timeslots required to complete all the link transmissions.