International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 05 | May 2025
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
Implementation of IEEE 802.11ah Low-Data Rate Wireless Network Protocol on Embedded Systems for IoT Applications Tain-Lieng Kao1, Sheng-Hsin Wang 2, Guan-Hsiung Liaw 3* 1Assistant professor, Dept. of Information Engineering, I-Shou University, Taiwan, R.O.C.
2 Dept. of Electronics Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. 3* Assistant professor, Dept. of Information Engineering, I-Shou University, Taiwan, R.O.C. Corresponding Author ---------------------------------------------------------------------***---------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract - This research investigates the implementation
IEEE 802.11ah is a new Wi-Fi technology specifically designed for IoT. Launched in 2017, its main features are power efficiency and long-range transmission. It operates at frequencies around 900 MHz, which is lower than conventional Wi-Fi frequencies. Compared to other IoT communication technologies (such as LoRa, Sigfox), 802.11ah's biggest advantage is its compatibility with existing Wi-Fi systems.
and performance evaluation of the IEEE 802.11ah lowpower wireless network protocol in IoT applications. We implemented this protocol on the Xilinx Virtex6 FPGA platform, supporting 802.11ah PHY layer specifications and implementing key power-saving mechanisms, particularly the Explicit TWT functionality, enabling stations to function as complete Non-TIM stations. Through the Non-TIM TWT mechanism, terminal devices can negotiate specific wake-up times with base stations, significantly reducing energy consumption. In terms of experimental evaluation, this research compares the system resource utilization performance of three IoT communication protocols - MQTT, MQTT-SN, and AMQP, focusing on key metrics such as processor utilization and memory consumption. The 802.11ah protocol is particularly suitable for IoT application scenarios requiring low power consumption and long-distance transmission, such as industrial automation and smart agriculture. Compared to other IoT technologies (like LoRa), 802.11ah demonstrates advantages in power efficiency and communication effectiveness. Notably, when operating in Non-TIM TWT mode, the 802.11ah system saves approximately 33% more power compared to traditional systems, demonstrating significant energysaving effects during long-term operation. Key Words: conservation.
IEEE
802.11ah,
TWT,
IoT,
However, implementing this technology involves several key challenges. First, we need to ensure protocol integrity, particularly in the implementation of MAC and PHY layers. To address these challenges, we propose a complete implementation solution. This paper provides a detailed description of implementing a low-power IoT communication system based on IEEE 802.11ah protocol on the Xilinx Virtex6 FPGA platform. The system employs an innovative dualprocessor architecture design, optimizing performance through task division between upper and lower layer processors. The upper layer processor handles the MAC layer implementation of the 802.11ah protocol and integrates the Linux operating system and its core timer to enable Active Scanning and Target Wake Time functionality. Under Linux system management, the upper layer processor not only maintains stable connections with APs but also executes various IoT communication protocols for topic data transmission and subscription. The lower layer processor focuses on low-level packet transmission and reception, precisely adjusting antenna parameters to control communication rates and transmission power. The two processors communicate through Xilinx's high-performance IP core (Intellectual Property Core). In terms of implementation, the system's 802.11ah PHY layer is fully compatible with the 802.11 legacy standard and integrates its power-saving modes. For the MAC layer, we implemented the 802.11ah protocol specifications, particularly the Explicit Target Wake Time functionality, enabling the transceiver to function as a complete Non-TIM station for optimal energy efficiency.
Power
1.INTRODUCTION Power conservation is one of the most critical challenges in IoT applications. Most sensors run on battery power, with wireless communication being the biggest power consumer. This poses a significant challenge for IoT devices that need to operate long-term. To address this issue, numerous studies have proposed various power-saving technologies. One significant technology is IEEE 802.11ah, which is a low-power communication protocol specifically designed for IoT. It features two main power-saving functions: Target Wake Time (TWT) and Restricted Access Window (RAW). These features not only ensure stable connectivity between devices but also significantly extend battery life.
© 2025, IRJET
|
Impact Factor value: 8.315
This research chose FPGA as the implementation platform primarily due to its excellent hardware reconfigurability and powerful system integration advantages. The core focus of the research not only includes the technical
|
ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal
|
Page 1477