Radio Link Evaluation for Wireless Body Area Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication techniques and protocols for wireless body area networks are not suitable due to the limited capacities of wireless devices, the nature of the propagation channel, and the mobility of the human body, leading to challenges in establishing reliable radio links and optimizing energy consumption, latency, and data delivery rates.
Innovation Solution
A method for evaluating the quality of radio links in wireless body area networks by classifying them into intermittently reliable and non-reliable categories based on mobility, using reliability indicators to predict contact and intercontact times, and routing messages through intermittently reliable links to optimize energy consumption, latency, and data delivery rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current communication techniques and protocols are used for wireless body area networks, then device simplicity is maintained, but reliability of radio links deteriorates due to mobility and propagation channel characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the communication protocol adaptive to changing radio link conditions. The system dynamically evaluates link quality metrics and adjusts routing decisions based on real-time assessments of contact and intercontact times, allowing the network to adapt to mobility-induced variations in radio link reliability without requiring complex predetermined protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-evaluating and classifying radio links into categories (intermittently reliable, unreliable, reliable) based on predicted contact and intercontact times. This advance classification allows the network to proactively select optimal routing paths before data transmission occurs, improving reliability without adding complex real-time decision-making requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If wireless devices are made mobile to enable body area network applications, then adaptability improves, but radio link stability deteriorates due to mobility and body obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to mobility by continuously evaluating radio link quality and adjusting routing decisions. The protocol remains simple while adapting its behavior based on real-time link assessments, allowing the network to maintain stability despite device mobility and body obstructions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary classification mechanism that acts as a mediator between mobile devices and the network protocol. By classifying links into categories based on predicted stability, this intermediary layer shields the upper protocol layers from the instability caused by mobility, allowing devices to remain mobile while maintaining network stability
3Productivity
If all radio links are treated equally without classification, then device complexity is reduced, but data delivery rate deteriorates due to poor link selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-classifying radio links into categories (intermittently reliable, unreliable, reliable) based on predicted contact and intercontact times before data transmission. This advance classification enables the network to select optimal links for data delivery, improving productivity without requiring complex real-time link assessment during transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by treating different radio links differently based on their specific characteristics. Instead of uniform treatment, each link is classified and selected based on its local quality metrics (contact time, intercontact time, stability), allowing the network to optimize data delivery by routing through the most suitable links for each communication pair
4Use of energy by moving object
If energy consumption is reduced by limiting transmission attempts, then energy efficiency improves, but reliability deteriorates due to insufficient retransmission on poor links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-evaluating radio link quality and classifying links before data transmission. This allows the network to identify reliably intermittent links in advance and select them for transmission, avoiding energy-wasting retransmission attempts on unreliable links while maintaining high delivery reliability through informed link selection
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from link quality evaluations to guide transmission decisions. By continuously monitoring and classifying link stability characteristics, the network receives feedback about which links are suitable for transmission, allowing it to adjust its routing decisions to optimize both energy consumption and delivery reliability based on actual link performance
Data Source
AI summary
A method for evaluating quality of radio links for a wireless body area network includes first and second wireless devices forming a body area network and configured to communicate with each other. One of the two wireless devices is mobile relative to the other, The method includes exploiting messages received by one of the wireless devices to measure instantaneous quality of a corresponding radio link and to estimate times during and between which a radio link is reliable, calculating an estimated times reliability indicator, and classifying the radio links as a function of the reliability indicator into at least first and second categories. One of these categories is a category relating to intermittently reliable radio links taking into account the mobility of the wireless devices of the body area network.