Optimizing Traffic Management in Airborne Power Line Communication Networks: A Credit-Based Shaping Approach Using Network Calculus

Abstract

As the aviation industry progresses towards More Electric Aircraft (MEA), the demand for robust and efficient data communication systems intensifies. Traditional fieldbus systems are burdened by high installation costs and substantial weight due to extensive cabling requirements. The Power Line Communication (PLC) technology presents a promising alternative; however, its adaptation to the stringent real-time demands of airborne environments poses significant challenges. To address this, this paper introduces a novel Credit-Based Shaper with Channel Contention (CBSCC) mechanism designed to optimize traffic management in airborne PLC networks. This mechanism operates at the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer of the HomePlug AV 2 protocol, employing a dynamic configuration approach informed by Network Calculus (NC). This approach utilizes End-to-End Delay (E2ED) requirements of data flows and network configuration details to calculate the parameters for the CBSCC traffic shaper. Comprehensive simulations conducted with OMNeT++ demonstrate the efficacy of CBSCC, demonstrating marked improvements in E2ED satisfaction for all data frames, reduced average access delays, and enhanced fairness across different priority levels compared to the HomePlug AV2 protocol and previous traffic management strategies. The findings confirm that the CBSCC mechanism substantially alleviates the starvation of lower-priority traffic, boosts network efficiency, and ensures robust real-time guarantees essential for the safety and reliability of airborne communication systems. This research represents a substantial advancement over existing solutions, aligning with the evolving needs of MEA implementations.