A new MAC scheme specifically suited for real-time industrial communication based on IEEE 802.11e

This paper proposes a new real-time communication scheme for 802.11e wireless networks. This scheme is called Group Sequential Communication (GSC). The GSC improves the efficiency of the Hybrid Coordination Function Controlled Channel Access (HCCA) mechanism by reducing the protocol overheads of the 802.11e amendment. The GSC approach eliminates the polling scheme used in traditional scheduling algorithm, by means of a virtual token passing procedure among members of the real-time group to whom is granted a high-priority and sequential access to communication medium. In order to improve the reliability of the proposed scheme, it is also proposed an error recovery mechanism based on block acknowledgment. The GSC was implemented in network simulator software and the performance results were compared to HCCA scheme, showing the efficient of the proposed approach when dealing with traditional industrial communication scenarios.

Graphical abstractThe work proposes a new real-time communication scheme for 802.11e wireless networks based on the publisher–subscriber. Two industrial communication scenarios have been considered for the tests: supervision and control. The AP receives all messages from sensors and sends for both scenarios that have firm real time constraint.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► The work proposes a new real-time communication scheme for IEEE 802.11e networks. ► It improves the efficiency of HCCA by means of a virtual token passing procedure. ► It was implemented in NS-2 and the performance results were compared to HCCA. ► Two industrial scenarios have been used for the tests: Supervision and Control. ► The performance results show the efficient of it when dealing with both scenarios.