Wireless Sensor Network Setup for Fast Data Acquisition
2011
Dmitrijs Bļizņuks, Valerijs Zagurskis

The present paper shows an approach to wireless data acquisition networks. The approach complies with the equirements of the European FP7 STRATOS project. STRATOS project’s aimis to solve current task of implementing wireless networks in agriculture. Current ISOBUS standard does not include wireless networks. Therefore agricultural machine producers use their own proprietary technologies, that leads to additional expenses for farmers. One of the STRATOS project aims is to propose and test wireless network, which could be used as a base for expansion of ISOBUS standard.The first chapter contains review of existing wireless data acquisition networks. The review shows that there are no solutions, which can satisfy all project requirements. Main difficulty for wireless networks is to provide 300Hz data transmission frequency in a network of 140 nodes. And since each node should be autonomous, it narrows the choice among available data transmission technologies. It is planned to use energy harvesting from vibrations to power wireless nodes, therefore a node is limited in the amount of power consumption. After reviewing existing energy harvesting systems, IEEE 802.15.4-like system was chosen as one whose power consumption is low enough. To test a proposed system, authors have used tMote Sky wireless sensor nodes based on IEEE 802.15.4. These nodes use their own wireless media access algorithm, which is based on carrier sense media access (CSMA) method. After carrying out tests it is clearly seen that existing CSMA-like algorithm cannot satisfy 300Hz transmission frequency. Therefore it is proposed to use time division media access algorithm, that will give determinate and several times lower transmission delay than in random based algorithms. To determine parameters of time division access method, multiple practical tests were performed. Following parameters were determined: slot and guard-slot duration, maximal transmission frequency and node amount. Practical tests and calculations show that it is not possible to reach defined transmission frequency and node amount simultaneously. Since it is not possible to change transmission technology, due to power consumption limitation, another solution has been proposed. The 300Hz frequency could be obtained in a network of 9 nodes. To reach amount of 140 nodes it is proposed to use parallel transmissions on 16 available radio frequency channels.


Keywords
wireless sensor networks, fast data acquisition, agriculture

Bļizņuks, D., Zagurskis, V. Wireless Sensor Network Setup for Fast Data Acquisition. Technologies of Computer Control. Vol.48, 2011, pp.45-50. ISSN 1407-7493.

Publication language
Latvian (lv)
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