TDMA-Based Dual-Mode Communication for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract

Small highly mobile robots, and in particular micro air vehicles (MAVs), are well suited to the task of exploring unknown indoor environments such as buildings and caves. Such a task imposes a number of requirements on the underlying communication infrastructure, with differing goals during various stages of the mission. This work addresses those requirements with a hybrid communications infrastructure consisting of a stationary mesh network along with the mobile nodes. The combined network operates in two independent modes, coupling a highly efficient, low duty cycle, low throughput mode for routing and persistent sensing with a burst mode for high data rate communication. By strategically distributing available frequency channels between the mobile agents and the stationary nodes, the overall network provides reliable long-term communication paths while maximizing data throughput when needed.

Quadrotor-Based Lighthouse Localization with Time-Synchronized Wireless Sensor Nodes and Bearing-Only Measurements

“…This capability would be useful for situations where a wireless sensor network is deployed and locations cannot be easily surveyed, like if many miniature wireless sensor nodes were dispersed by a UAV throughout an area. For example, in Mehta et al [ 41 ], a micro-air-vehicle (MAV) is used to deploy a “breadcrumb trail” of wireless sensor nodes that join a wireless mesh network, where the MAV is effectively deploying its own networking infrastructure. These nodes were then used as wireless infrastructure to relay commands to the MAV and transmit video signal from the MAV to a base station.…”