Title: Smart cross-layer protocol integration for efficient wireless communications

Authors: Antonio M. Ortiz; Teresa Olivares; Fernando Royo; Noel Crespi; Luis Orozco-Barbosa

Addresses: Institut Mines-Telecom, Telecom SudParis, 9 Rue Charles Fourier, 91011 Evry-Cedex, France ' University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n 02071 Albacete, Spain ' University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n 02071 Albacete, Spain ' Institut Mines-Telecom, Telecom SudParis, 9 Rue Charles Fourier 91011 Evry-Cedex, France ' University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, s/n 02071 Albacete, Spain

Abstract: The integration of protocols from different layers enables efficient wireless communications. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) represent the core of the internet of things (IoT). The growing number of nodes composing these networks requires effective node synchronisation and a correct network organisation in order to ensure data delivery to the destination nodes. This paper presents a cross-layer approach that integrates a synchronous TDMA MAC protocol with a smart routing approach, oriented to guarantee efficient communications of a set of wireless devices in the IoT. First, both approaches are detailed and individually tested by comparing them to similar approaches in the literature. Then, the cross-layer integration is described and tested, showing that both protocols are able to enhance the network performance when working together.

Keywords: cross-layer protocol integration; WSNs; wireless sensor networks; efficient communications; TDMA MAC protocols; fuzzy logic; routing protocols; IoT; internet of things; wireless communications; smart routing; medium access control; network performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAHUC.2015.073173

International Journal of Ad Hoc and Ubiquitous Computing, 2015 Vol.20 No.3, pp.148 - 158

Received: 11 Feb 2014
Accepted: 04 Jul 2014

Published online: 26 Nov 2015 *

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