A Load Balancing Algorithm for Resource Allocation in IEEE 802.15.4e Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a distributed load balancing algorithm called Local Voting for 6TiSCH networks, which improves reliability, reduces latency, and conserves energy by adaptively reallocating communication cells based on network conditions.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel distributed link scheduling algorithm, Local Voting, that dynamically balances load in 6TiSCH networks, outperforming existing algorithms in reliability and energy efficiency.

Findings

Local Voting achieves high reliability and low latency.

It consumes significantly less energy than comparable algorithms.

Performance validated in industrial environment simulations with 50 sensors.

Abstract

The recently created IETF 6TiSCH working group combines the high reliability and low-energy consumption of IEEE 802.15.4e Time Slotted Channel Hopping with IPv6 for industrial Internet of Things. We propose a distributed link scheduling algorithm, called Local Voting, for 6TiSCH networks that adapts the schedule to the network conditions. The algorithm tries to equalize the link load (defined as the ratio of the queue length over the number of allocated cells) through cell reallocation. Local Voting calculates the number of cells to be added or released by the 6TiSCH Operation Sublayer (6top). Compared to a representative algorithm from the literature, Local Voting provides simultaneously high reliability and low end-to-end latency while consuming significantly less energy. Its performance has been examined and compared to On-the-fly algorithm in 6TiSCH simulator by modeling an industrial environment with 50 sensors.