Generic Markov model of the contention access period of IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer

Abstract The IEEE-802.15.4 standard is poised to become the global standard for low data rate, low energy consumption Wireless Sensor Networks. By assigning the same sets of contention access parameters for all data frames and nodes, the Contention Access Period (CAP) of the slotted IEEE-802.15.4 currently provides an even channel access functionality and no service differentiation. However, some applications may require service differentiation and traffic prioritization support to accommodate high-priority traffic (e.g., alarms). In order to simulate a scenario in which different sets of access parameters for different node classes can be configured, this paper develops a Markov-chain-based model of the CAP of the IEEE-802.15.4-MAC. Our Markov model can be used to evaluate the impact of mixing node classes in important factors like the throughput, energy consumption, probability of delivery and the packet latency. The model has been used to provide traffic differentiation in a high saturation scenario in which a set of nodes can be configured to increase 76% the probability of sending a packet and reduce 58% latency, with a 69% energy penalty, in comparison with a standard scenario. The accuracy of the Markov model is validated by extensive ns-2 simulations.