LUCID: Receiver-aware Model-based Data Communication for Low-power Wireless Networks

TL;DR

LUCID is a receiver-aware MAC protocol that uses interference estimation and white space prediction to improve low-power wireless network dependability amidst crowded spectrum and cross-technology interference.

Contribution

The paper introduces LUCID, a novel proactive receiver-aware MAC protocol that leverages interference prediction models to enhance network reliability in interference-prone environments.

Findings

Achieves 1.2% higher packet delivery ratio

Reduces duty-cycle by 0.02% under bursty interference

Outperforms existing methods in realistic simulations

Abstract

In the last decade, the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has caused unlicensed radio spectrum, especially the 2.4 GHz ISM band, to be immensely crowded with smart wireless devices that are used in a wide range of application domains. Due to their diversity in radio resource use and channel access techniques, when collocated, these wireless devices create interference with each other, known as Cross-Technology Interference (CTI), which can lead to increased packet losses and energy consumption. CTI is a significant problem for low-power wireless networks, such as IEEE 802.15.4, as it decreases the overall dependability of the wireless network. To improve the performance of low-power wireless networks under CTI conditions, we propose a data-driven proactive receiver-aware MAC protocol, LUCID, based on interference estimation and white space prediction. We leverage statistical analysis of real-world traces from two indoor environments characterised by varying channel conditions to develop CTI prediction methods. The CTI models that generate accurate predictions of interference behaviour are an intrinsic part of our solution. LUCID is thoroughly evaluated in realistic simulations and we show that depending on the application data rate and the network size, our solution achieves higher dependability, 1.2% increase in packet delivery ratio and 0.02% decrease in duty-cycle under bursty indoor interference than state of the art alternative methods.