Study on Low-Energy Superframe Performances with Low-Latency Data Forwarding in the Enhanced Smart Utility Networks

Abstract

The paper reports on an effective low-energy operation management with low-energy and low-latency data forwarding scheme for the enhanced Smart Utility Networks (SUN) that realizes required diversifications of SUN system capabilities for future wireless grid systems based on the expected use cases or applications that are potentially employed under the several conditions of deployed area, device number, radio reachable distance and usage scenarios to cope with the automatic data collections that are quite essential for the internet of things (IoT) fields. To realize the necessary functions, the wireless grid structure that is based on SUN standards as know as the IEEE 802.15.4g/4e and certified in the Wi-SUN alliance activities are suitably exploited with required modifications. Especially in the paper, we consider about the low-energy operation capabilities which are enabled by the customized superframe that is known as Low-Energy (LE) superframe and is standardized in IEEE 802.15.4e in which the periodical sleeping periods are effectively decreasing system power consumption. Moreover, the paper proposes an effective low-latency data forwarding technology keeping such a low-energy performance to decrease the accompanied latency effects on the devices assuming the actuator functions. We have conducted the computer simulation evaluation and shown that the proposed scheme has resolved the latency issues not degrading the low-energy operation capabilities in the SUN. Then, the proposed low-latency data forwarding performances are proved in the water management tests that is expected in the future agricultural ICT. We conclude that the proposed SUN enhancements effectively realizes not only low-energy sensing data collection but also low-latency data forwarding performances within the several seconds.