Network Communication Protocol Research Articles

Demand-Driven Resilient Control for Generation Unit of Local Power Plant Under Unreliable Communication

The resilient control issue for the generation unit (GU) in a local power plant with unreliable communication is addressed in this article, where the communication may be jammed by denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Based on the GU model of voltage and current at the point of common coupling, a demand-driven network communication protocol is proposed to decrease the number of scheduling signal transmissions, and an observer-based prediction method is provided to replenish the lack of dispatching data during transmission intervals when the demand has not changed. The closed-loop performance is analyzed for the GU system in the input-to-state stable framework with or without attack. According to the DoS attack model, which is described by the assumptions of frequency and duration, the conservativeness of the tolerable DoS attack index is reduced by using the thought of robustness to the maximum disturbance-induced error. Simulation examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the approach proposed in this article.

RTPL: A Real-Time Communication Protocol for LoRa Network

The industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is prominently emerging in applications of large-scale and wide-area applications, such as oilfield management, smart grid management, real-time equipment monitoring, and integration of traffic management systems for smart cities. Relying on short-range wireless technologies (e.g., WirelessHART and ISA100.11a), traditional wireless solutions for industrial automation find it challenging to support the expansive scale of today’s IIoT. To address this limitation, we propose to adopt LoRaWAN, a prominent low-power wide-area network technology, for industrial automation. LoRaWAN for industrial automation poses some unique challenges. The fundamental building blocks of any industrial automation system are feedback control loops that largely rely on real-time communication. LoRaWAN traditionally adopts a simple protocol based on ALOHA with no collision avoidance or Listen Before Talk with Clear Channel Assessment and Random Backoff mechanisms to minimize energy consumption, which are less suitable for real-time communication. Existing real-time protocols for short-range technologies cannot be applied to a LoRaWAN network due to its unique characteristics such as asymmetry between downlink and the uplink spectrum, predefined modes (or classes) of operation, and concurrent reception through orthogonal spreading factors. In this paper, we address these challenges and propose RTPL- a Real-Time communication Protocol for LoRaWAN networks. RTPL is a low-overhead and conflict-free communication protocol allowing autonomous real-time communication of low-energy devices and exploits LoRa’s capability of parallel communication. We implement our approach on LoRa devices and evaluate through both physical experiments and extensive simulations. All results show that RTPL achieves on average 75% improvement in real-time performance without sacrificing throughput or energy compared to traditional LoRaWAN.

A frequency-agile retrodirective tag for large-scale sub-terahertz data backscattering

Backscattering is a promising power-efficient communication technique providing sustainable wireless links with a low carbon footprint. This approach is a critical enabler for dense IoT networks, which are forecast to grow to 41 billion by 2025. However, existing backscatter designs are limited to the sub-6 GHz bands or narrowband operation in the millimeter-wave regime; therefore, they fail to concurrently support many interference-free low-power users. Enabling a frequency-agile wideband backscatter design in the sub-terahertz offers a two-pronged advantage for densely deployed backscatter networks: spatial reuse enabled by directionality and frequency multiplexing enabled by the large available bandwidth. We present the first sub-THz backscatter architecture that operates above 100 GHz. Our design relies on a detailed understanding of reciprocity in leaky-wave devices and offers a realistic joint localization and communication protocol for sub-THz backscatter networks.

A dynamic multicast routing protocol for visible light communication networks

Due to the current challenges of wireless communications, optical wireless communications, like visible light communication (VLC), have become very popular in the last decade for local area networks. However, current VLC systems focus mainly on one-hop direct transmissions, ignoring that many networking applications require multicast communications. In this sense, we propose MCAST-VLC, a fully functional cross-layer dynamic multicast scheme over a dynamic routing protocol for VLC. MCAST-VLC considers the particular characteristics of the VLC as the need for group management, traffic isolation, a challenging multi-hop route discovery protocol, and a complex cross-layer VLC mechanism to maintain the proper system state. We evaluate our protocol following close real indoor VLC scenarios, previously discussed in the literature, where a light source in a room streams data to a few other VLC devices, and we extend our results numerically. Our results show that MCAST-VLC can handle considerably more network flows than a unicast VLC system under a negligible overhead.

Datadog with Zigbee Wireless Communication Network Protocol for an Internal Implementation in an Educational Institution

Wireless Sensor Networks are the most powerful technique for monitoring Environmental factors. As the role of WSN relies totally on the service life of the sensor nodes, it is necessary to have complete monitoring of networks. Energy efficiency has always been a key concern for Wireless sensor networks. This paper presents a detailed literature review that examines how an artificial intelligence networking tool(datalog)can be used with ZIGBee-based network protocol for continuous Real-time data quality monitoring to detect bad data quality issues in an educational organization It also Tracks and improves application speed by following requests from beginning to end and monitoring application performance. By using AI algorithms for routing choices and optimization methods, the study aims to improve network performance, energy efficiency, and system scalability. The analysis of different routing strategies with AI implementations will be covered, emphasizing the potential advantages and challenges of this innovative approach in an organization.

SL-PPCP: Secure and Low-Cost Privacy-Preserving Communication Protocol for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

SL-PPCP: Secure and Low-Cost Privacy-Preserving Communication Protocol for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Performance Evaluation of Three Routing Protocols for Drone Communication Networks

Performance Evaluation of Three Routing Protocols for Drone Communication Networks

Cryptanalysis with improvement on lattice‐based authenticated key exchange protocol for mobile satellite communication networks

SummaryThe mobile satellite communication (MSC) system represents a crucial means of communication, facilitating connections between mobile users and network control centres through satellites. Given the wireless nature of satellite communication, ensuring communication security is paramount for maintaining accountability. Key exchange and authentication (KEA) mechanisms are commonly employed to secure data transmitted over insecure or open channels. Developing a lattice‐based KEA protocol for MSC systems is imperative to achieve both quantum security and efficient communication. In this direction, Yadav et al. devised ring learning with an error‐based KEA technique to ensure a quantum‐safe environment. Their scheme is quantum‐safe and satisfies desirable security attributes but has low efficiency in computation. Moreover, we have identified that their scheme is susceptible to denial of service attack and session key established at user and NCC ends is different. To overcome the flaws of Yadav et al., we propose a lattice‐based KEA protocol for the MSC system to improve computation efficiency, and get resistance against key mismatch attack. The security analysis of the proposed scheme is presented in the random oracle model. Comparative study is also presented to observe advantages in computation efficiency.

An efficient provably secure authentication and key agreement protocol for satellite communication networks

AbstractThe leverage of satellite resources to establish a communication network offers a wide range of benefits, including the capability to support news gathering, broadcasting, and aeronautical and maritime tracking. The unique aspects of the satellite‐linked terrestrial network provide high‐speed services, dependable and consistent network quality, and comprehensive geographic coverage of remote regions. Unfortunately, these structural features also render the network vulnerable to unauthorized intrusion, potentially leading to significant disruptions. Consequently, the implementation of authentication measures presents an appealing solution for enhancing the overall service quality of this network. Recently, Kumar et al. presented an authentication and key agreement scheme for satellite communications. Strikingly, their scheme proves inadequate in safeguarding against several malicious attacks and reveals certain design weaknesses. In this article, we present a reliable and secure authentication protocol that takes advantage of the complexities inherent in the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem. We assess the protocol's effectiveness against various types of attacks using formal proof, Burrows–Abadi–Needham logic, informal descriptive proof analysis, and the verification tool SCYTHER. Furthermore, we compare the computational, communication, and storage overhead of our proposed protocol to an existing one, demonstrating its efficiency and superiority.

Greentooth: Robust and Energy Efficient Wireless Networking for Batteryless Devices

Communication presents a critical challenge for emerging intermittently powered batteryless sensors. Batteryless devices that operate entirely on harvested energy often experience frequent, unpredictable power outages and have trouble keeping time accurately. Consequently, effective communication using today’s low-power wireless network standards and protocols becomes difficult, particularly because existing standards are usually designed to support reliably powered devices with predictable node availability and accurate timekeeping capabilities for connection and congestion management. In this article, we present Greentooth, a robust and energy-efficient wireless communication protocol for intermittently powered sensor networks. It enables reliable communication between a receiver and multiple batteryless sensors using Time Division Multiple Access–style scheduling and low-power wake-up radios for synchronization. Greentooth employs lightweight and energy-efficient connections that are resilient to transient power outages, while significantly improving network reliability, throughput, and energy efficiency of both the battery-free sensor nodes and the receiver—which could be untethered and energy constrained. We evaluate Greentooth using a custom-built batteryless sensor prototype on synthetic and real-world energy traces recorded from different locations in a garden across different times of the day. Results show that Greentooth achieves 73% and 283% more throughput compared to Asynchronous Wake-up on Demand MAC and Receiver-Initiated Consecutive Packet Transmission Wake-up Radios, respectively, under intermittent ambient solar energy and over 2× longer receiver lifetime.

Multi-UAV networks for disaster monitoring: challenges and opportunities from a network perspective

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, demand rapid and comprehensive responses. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have become essential in disaster scenarios, serving as crucial communication relays in areas with compromised infrastructure. They establish temporary networks, aiding coordination among emergency responders and facilitating timely assistance to survivors. Recent advancements in sensing technology have transformed emergency response by combining the collaborative power of these networks with real-time data processing. However, challenges remain to consider these networks for disaster monitoring applications, particularly in deployment strategies, data processing, routing, and security. Extensive research is crucial to refine ad hoc networking solutions, enhancing the agility and effectiveness of these systems. This article explores various aspects, including network architecture, formation strategies, communication protocols, and security concerns in multi-UAV networks for disaster monitoring. It also examines the potential of enabling technologies like edge computing and artificial intelligence to bolster network performance and security. Further, the article provides a detailed overview of the key challenges and open issues, outlining various research prospects in the evolving field of multi-UAV networks for disaster response.

Automotive Electronic Control Unit Ground Line Health Monitoring Method

Electronic Control Units (ECUs) have been used in the automotive industry for decades to control one or more of the vehicle subsystems. The ECUs communicate primarily using the in-vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol. The recent rapid development of connected, electric, and autonomous vehicles expands the number of ECUs and complexity of the CAN network required to integrate vehicle systems and deliver the desired functionalities. This demands increased reliability of the ECUs to ensure for robust vehicle performance. One of the most common ECU failure modes is the ECU ground fault. A ground fault occurs when the ground path in the ECU circuit is corroded, which is usually developed slowly over time. Such failure usually results in various symptoms including ECU incapable of functioning and further impacts the vehicle functionalities negatively. This type of fault can be difficult to detect prior to vehicle functionality loss. It usually involves routinely testing the resistance of the ground circuit, visually inspecting the connectors and wirings, and checking the voltage drop across the ground circuit. Therefore, it is highly desirable to continuously monitor the ECU ground line health status to predict any degradation and thus prevent vehicle functionality losses.
 This paper presents a novel method to monitor the health status of ECU ground line. The method leverages measured CAN voltage data to estimate the ECU ground state of health. The CAN voltage measurements are preprocessed and fed into a real-time data buffer of predefined size. Statistical moments are calculated from the buffered data to generate health indicators, which are then combined to form a fused health indicator. The fused health indicator is used to determine the health stage of ECU ground line. The health stage is classified based on the relationship between ground line degradation level and the ECU communication loss status. The method was developed and validated using actual vehicle data.

A Hydraulic Online Monitoring System for Forestry Harvesters Based on LabVIEW

The hydraulic system is a key component of intelligent forestry harvesters. In the testing of a forestry harvester, researchers need to analyze the operating efficiency and energy consumption of the forestry harvester based on the pressure and flow rate data in the hydraulic system of the forestry harvester and formulate energy-efficient control strategies. In order to enable researchers to monitor and extract the parameters of the hydraulic system of an intelligent forestry harvester in real time, this paper designs a hydraulic online monitoring system for forestry harvesters based on the LabVIEW 2019 software platform. This system realizes the following functions by reading the CAN (controller area network, a serial communication protocol for multi-host localized networks) bus of the harvester: (1) it collects and stores hydraulic system pressure, flow, and other data and displays the value curve in the system interface in real time, and (2) it monitors the control signals received by the hydraulic system and displays the control signal status and value received by the system interface in real time. This paper used this system to carry out on-site testing of an actual machine, and compared and analyzed the online monitoring data of the hydraulic system and the theoretical pressure data of the main hydraulic valve manifold. The average value of the relative error between the two was 1.65%, and the maximum value of the relative error was 2.75%. The results show that the designed system has good accuracy and stability, and can effectively realize online monitoring of the working status of the hydraulic system of forestry harvesters during their operation.

Building the Operational Technology (OT) Cybersecurity Workforce: What are Employers Looking for?

A trained workforce is needed to protect operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS) within national critical infrastructure and critical industries. However, what knowledge, skills, and credentials are employers looking for in OT cybersecurity professionals? To best train the next generation of OT cybersecurity professionals, an understanding of current OT cybersecurity position requirements is needed. Thus, this work analyzes 100 OT cybersecurity positions to provide insights on key prerequisite requirements such as prior professional experience, education, industry certifications, security clearances, programming expertise, soft verbal and written communication skills, knowledge of OT frameworks, standards, and network communication protocols, and position travel. We found that OT cybersecurity roles are typically non-entry level, as experience was the most common requirement, and was required on 95% of analyzed positions. Possession of a bachelor’s degree or higher was required for 82% of positions, while industry certifications such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP) were listed on 64% of positions. Knowledge of OT or IT frameworks and standards and strong communication skills were listed on 48% of positions, while programming expertise, possession of the United States security clearance, and knowledge of OT or IT networking protocols were required for 18%, 24%, and 27% of positions, respectively. A work travel requirement was listed on 29% of positions. Individuals seeking to enter the OT cybersecurity field, and educational programs focusing on training OT cybersecurity professionals should prioritize obtaining experience, education, and certification, possessing strong communication skills, and knowledge of relevant OT and IT industry standards and frameworks.

Low-Cost Solution for Adding Safety Functions to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)

Increasing requirements in automation and production make control systems more complex and vulnerable to failure. Breakdowns can cause delays in production, material damage, and above all, work-related accidents. For this reason, directives and legislation have been created at the country, European Union, and global levels that define the essential safety and requirements of industrial equipment. Guidelines must be observed by those involved in the design, supply, purchase, or use of industrial equipment in the European Union and several countries outside the European Union. Some guidelines (CAT, SIL) are created to ensure their safe operation in case of failure of both the hardware and the software. For a reliable operation of a fail safety system together with a system operating at SIL2 or SIL3, it must have Safety hardware and software. Industrial equipment manufacturers are incorporating security features into a variety of devices. Depending on the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) requirements, these features can be used during the design phase to increase safety in the event of failures or malfunctions. With proper design, the process as well as its environment (including people) can be protected by entering a controlled safe state. Manufacturers have approached this problem in a number of ways, including adding redundant Central Processing Units (CPUs), using special hardware to interface input and output signals, and developing secure network protocols for communication. Unfortunately, these features cannot be added to existing machines, at least without upgrading some hardware. As the associated costs lead to slower adoption, manufacturers rely on previous work to support certain security features, notably CPU debugging. This is implemented in the form of software libraries that operate at a low level (logic gate), designed to run on older hardware (PLC) so that they can offer an increased level of security. This study analyzes the required guidelines and legislation that must be followed for the safe operation of a production unit. It describes the mechanisms that basic and specialized PLC systems utilize to ensure the safety of an automation system. The authors have developed algorithms to record behavior measurements of electronic equipment. By further analyzing the results, it is concluded that basic equipment can be reused in these systems to provide safety functions, at the same time conserving both cost and time.

Research on Logic Design of Proton Treatment Control System

The proton treatment control system is the supporting software of the proton therapy device, which specifically coordinates and controls the status and work of each subsystem. In this study, the software architecture and hardware implementation of the proton treatment control system was developed and built a foundation for the overall debugging. Using C# programming language and WPF programming techniques, TCP network communication protocol specified by the proton treatment technical document and MVVM pattern in Windows system, the logic design and implementation of each level were studied. Meanwhile, the communication interface between the subsystems under TCP communication protocol was agreed. The logic design and research of the setup field and treatment field were carried out. And the User Interface was designed and developed using the above technology. The program realizes the communication and interaction between the proton treatment control system and each subsystem, so as to control and monitor the whole treatment process. The proton treatment control system provides a software basis for the remote overall debugging and on-line monitor and control of proton treatment device.

Design and implementation of a wireless CAN module for marine engines using ZigBee protocol

AbstractThis paper describes the design and implementation of a wireless control area network (CAN bus) protocol for communication between the smart NOx (nitrogen oxide) sensor on diesel engines and the engine control unit (ECU). In this research, the approach taken is based on a case study of Wärtsilä's smart NOx sensor on a W4L20 diesel engine with the objective of replacing the wired CAN protocol with a wireless CAN communication node. In the current setup, the smart NOx sensor is connected to the engine control unit (ECU) with a wired CAN bus connection. The XBee module, which uses the ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4) technology was used in the design and implementation of the wireless CAN prototype. With the emergence of 5G networks and the era of IoT, the topic of wireless industrial automation becomes essential in the modern industry. In addition to the great advantages and opportunities that the use of wireless nodes has in automation systems, there are many real challenges. The practical design challenges have been addressed in this paper.

Hybrid NarrowBand-internet of things protocol for real time data optimization

The level of dependence on data communication in the modern era is increasing exponentially. The internet of things (IoT) plays a very important role in the advancement of the industrial revolution 4.0 that utilizes data communication systems. IoT deployments require data communication protocols, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), and message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) as well as network communication protocols (wireless) to meet the network needs of devices with limited resources. Optimization of data communication in IoT is needed to maintain the quality of sending and receiving data in real time. This research proposes a hybrid NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT) protocol designed using NarrowBand communication network technology with optimization of data communication using MQTT and HTTP protocols. In this research, the hybrid NB-IoT protocol has the best packet loss value of 0.010% against the HTTP NB-IoT protocol which has a value of 0.017%, and the MQTT NB-IoT protocol of 0.024%. The hybrid NB-IoT protocol has a latency value of 8.7 seconds compared to the HTTP NB-IoT protocol which has a latency of 10.9 seconds. Meanwhile, the throughput value of the hybrid NB-IoT protocol is 158906.1 byte/s and is better than the MQTT NB-IoT protocol which is only 158898.6 bytes/s.

A novel multiple access communication protocol for LoRa networks without LoraWAN

Current <span>studies predict there will be approximately 75 billion internet of things (IoT) devices connected to the internet by 2025. Such enormous IoT networks will require efficient communications systems to support those networks running well. We consider one of the emerging communications technologies that is widely used for wireless wide-area network, i.e., long range (LoRa). By default, LoRa wide area networking (LoRaWAN) has been equipped with a medium access control (MAC) protocol, however, several studies showed that LoRaWAN might not be the most excellent choice for certain applications of low-power wide area network, for example, peer-to-peer and mesh networks. In this work, we propose an application layer LoRa multi-communication (LMC) protocol to resolve multiple access problems in LoRa networks without employing LoRaWAN. The algorithm was embedded and tested on energy-constraint devices as building blocks of most IoT systems. Our examination in a controlled environment showed that the proposed algorithm achieved 94% averaged packet reception ratio (PRR) and 33.3 hours longer averaged battery lifetime compared to the default operation (without LMC algorithm) of LoRa networks. The proposed algorithm also introduced longer averaged time on air (ToA) compared to the default LoRa network mainly due to its best-effort service scenario applied to the proposed algorithm.</span>

An optimization of multiple gateway location selection in long range wide area network networks

The adoption of smart agricultural technology in rural areas is still limited in terms of network infrastructure supported. As a result, farmers continue to practice traditional farming that mainly focuses on human labor and requires experience in planning the production of agricultural products in unstable weather conditions, which makes the farmers highly risky. Currently, long range (LoRa) technology is a smart agriculture support tool that will enable the Internet of Things devices to a large number of end nodes distributed over a wide geographical area. They could access cloud computing from a long distance, kilometers, for processing via long range wide area network (LoRaWAN) communication protocol. When choosing a multiple gateway location for LoRaWAN networks, big networks must consider the spatial distribution of clients, radio signal propagation, and the cap on the number of devices served access. In this study, a mathematical model is developed to optimize coverage. The LINGO modeling program, an exact software method, was used to test the model. The findings indicated that the best six gateways at the optimal LoRaWAN gateway location. The gateways can provide signal coverage for all end nodes and can manage the capacity of the LoRaWAN gateway to support the proper number of end nodes.