Analyzing Current Interference Situations of Connected Devices Using Context-Information and the Centralized Broker-Approach

TL;DR

This paper presents a centralized broker-based system that uses context information to optimize Wi-Fi interference management in manufacturing environments, addressing hidden node issues and enhancing safety-critical communications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel architecture combining context-aware interference calculation with a centralized broker to improve Wi-Fi channel selection and communication safety.

Findings

Effective interference situation analysis using context information.

Improved channel selection reduces interference power.

Enhanced safety-critical communication support.

Abstract

The digitalization of manufacturing processes is leading to a highly increased amount of connected devices. In the course of this development a process was developed and implemented, which optimizes IEEE 802.11-systems relating to the interference situation by using context-information. This was realized by division into two fields. First of all, data providers calculate their own interference situation to determine the optimal frequency out of the ascertained data. In this case optimal means that the chosen channel should have the lowest interference power. In a second step these providers also calculating the interference information about all Service Set Identifier (SSID) in range. The measured data is then divided into the allowed radio channel. Afterwards the gathered information will be transferred to a central space. An already existing infrastructure is used as a initial point for the further process. As soon as the provider has transferred new data, a broker can inform connected users that there is an update in the inference situation. With this developed architecture an approach to face the hidden node problem is given. Additional a system for safety-critical information is implemented.