BMRF: Bidirectional Multicast RPL Forwarding

doi:10.1016/j.adhoc.2016.10.004

Ad Hoc Networks

Volume 54, January 2017, Pages 69-84

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adhoc.2016.10.004 Get rights and content

Under a Creative Commons license

open access

Abstract

Nowadays, the transition of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), in particular to IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN), is evident [1]. However, in most commonly used implementations, not all IPv6 features are available. For example, current implementations are not very optimized for multicast, despite the many benefits multicast can offer with respect to the number of radio transmissions and the amount of consumed energy.

In this paper we present Bidirectional Multicast RPL Forwarding (BMRF), a new multicast protocol that combines the best features of the Routing Protocol for Low Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) multicast on the one hand and of Stateless Multicast RPL Forwarding (SMRF) on the other hand. The main features are bidirectionality and the ability to offer a choice between Link Layer broadcast and Link Layer unicast for which the threshold to decide for a mote, which link layer mode to choose, is mainly based on its number of interested children and the duty cycling rate. An implementation of BMRF is realized in Contiki. Our measurements show that BMRF, when using the optimal configuration, results in less radio transmissions, and less energy consumption, and higher packet delivery ratio compared to SMRF, often at the cost of a higher end-to-end delay.

Keywords

Wireless Sensor Networks

Multicast

RPL

Cited by (0)

Guillermo Gastón Lorente is currently a master student at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL), for obtaining the degree of Master of Science in Computer Engineering, jointly with a Master degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

In 2014 he obtained the bachelor degree from Universidad Pblica De Navarra (UPNA) for which he realised his bachelor thesis at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in the ETRO-Smartnets research group in the context of an Erasmus exchange between UPNA and VUB. From Universidad Pública De Navarra he received an outstanding graduation award in 2015.

Today he still collaborates with the smartnets group on the topic of multicast in Wireless Sensor Networks, in particular with PhD student Bart Lemmens. His current interests are network, protocol and software design, cross-layer protocol optimization, Wireless Sensor Networks and cybersecurity.

Bart Lemmens has received his M.Sc. in Industrial Sciences with specialization electronics-ICT from the Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Belgium in 2008. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree in Engineering Sciences at the Department of Electronics and Informatics from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. His research interests include energy efficient and multi-channel Medium Access Control protocols for Wireless Sensor networks, multi-agent systems, and time synchronization in networks.

Matthias Carlier received a master in Industrial Engineering in 2013 from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Currently he is a PhD student at the department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO) and the department of Industrial Engineering (INDI) at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). His research interests include the design, implementation and evaluation of routing protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks for building automation, environmental monitoring, autonomous ground vehicle applications and smart grids.

An Braeken received the M.Sc. degree in mathematics from the University of Gent, in 2002, and the Ph.D. degree in engineering sciences from the Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography Research Group, KU Leuven, in 2006. She worked for almost two years with BCG, a management consulting company. In 2007, she became a Professor with the Industrial Sciences Department, Erasmushogeschool Brussel, where she has been with Vrije Universiteit Brussel since 2013. Her current interests include cryptography, security protocols for sensor networks, secure and private localization techniques, and Field-programmable gate array implementations.

Prof. dr. ir. Kris Steenhaut received the master in Engineering Sciences in 1984 and the master in Applied Computer Sciences in 1986 and the PhD degree in Engineering Sciences from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in 1995. Currently she is professor at the department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO) and the department of Industrial Engineering (INDI), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. Her research interests include the design, implementation and evaluation of Wireless Sensor Networks for building automation, environmental monitoring, autonomous ground vehicle applications and smart grids. She has cooperated in and coordinated European ITEA consortia such as ESNA (European Sensor Network Architecture) and ISN (Interoperable Sensor Networks) and has participated in FP7 under the ICT Policy Support Programme on the theme ICT for a low carbon economy and smart mobility. She is also a driving force in several strategic national research projects on the theme of machine learning for energy efficiency operation of devices and machines, on sound/air pollution monitoring and on water management by means of heterogeneous sensor networks. Her research output includes 150+ co-authored articles in international journals and proceedings of international conferences, as well as the organization of tutorials and workshops at international conferences.