FWB

Abstract

Many applications in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) require collecting massive data in a coordinated approach. To that end, a many-to-one (convergecast) communication pattern is used in tree-based WSNs. However, traffic near the sink node usually becomes the network bottleneck. In this work, we propose an extension to the 802.15.4 standard for enabling wider bandwidth channels. Then, we measure the speed of data collection in a tree-based WSN, with radios operating in these wider bandwidth channels. Finally, we propose and implement Funneling Wider Bandwidth (FWB), an algorithm that minimizes schedule length in networks. We prove that the algorithm is optimal in regard to the number of time slots. In our simulations and experiments, we show that FWB achieves a higher average throughput and a smaller number of time slots. This new approach could be adapted for other relevant emerging standards, such as WirelessHART, ISA 100.11a and IEEE 802.15.4e TSCH.