<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$</tex-math> </inline-formula>: An Enhanced Wireless Interface for Communication in Factory Automation Networks

Abstract

Wireless technologies are increasingly gaining popularity for many industrial automation applications. State-of-the-art wireless technologies mainly support monitoring and open-loop control applications at the lowest level of the automation pyramid. The use of wireless technologies for closed-loop control applications is still in infancy. This paper proposes a novel wireless solution, termed as ${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$ , for closed-loop control applications at the sensor/actuator level of factory automation. At the Physical layer, ${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$ adopts IEEE 802.15.1 specifications with an enhanced data rate feature. The medium access control layer of ${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$ is based on time-division multiple access and frequency-division duplexing. ${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$ is based on an optimized frame structure for achieving low latency while accounting for the peculiarities of closed-loop control. Moreover, ${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$ implements two different cooperative multi-user diversity techniques for achieving high reliability. Performance evaluation, based on comprehensive analytical modeling and system-level simulation studies, demonstrates that ${\mathsf{ENCLOSE}}$ provides a practical solution, that fulfils the stringent requirements of closed-loop control applications in factory automation environments.