Enabling space time division multiple access in IETF 6TiSCH protocol

Abstract

IETF 6TiSCH standard aims to create reliable, deterministic, and low-power networks by scheduling bandwidth resources in time and frequency domains. The main emphasis of 6TiSCH protocol is that it creates Internet of things (IoT) networks with a deterministic and controllable delay. However, many of its benefits are tied to the ability of the 6TiSCH scheduler to optimally distribute radio resources among wireless nodes which may not be possible when the number of frequency resources are limited and several other wireless technologies share the same frequency band (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth and IEEE 802.15.4). Here the integration of a low-complexity directional antenna system with IETF 6TiSCH protocol is investigated with the aim of creating a 6TiSCH solution with higher spatial reuse. 6TiSCH nodes equipped with such smart directional antennas can schedule bandwidth resources not only in time and frequency domain but also in spatial (space) domain.