Implementation and performance analysis of multiple concurrent WPAN protocols on a system-on-chip

Abstract: The development of new energy efficient Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) protocols is a big factor for the increased interest in Internet of Things (IoT). However, the many protocols with overlapping applications have led to competing standards and sensor networks using different protocols, even to perform the same tasks. If different sensors in IoT uses different protocols in the same area, a single gateway connecting to all of them must support all their protocols simultaneously. This thesis studies latency, average sending time and range for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), 802.15.4 and Zigbee in multiprotocol mode on the nRF52840 System on Chip (SoC). In addition, an 802.15.4-based protocol synchronizing with the BLE frames using Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) techniques was designed and implemented. This protocol could be used in sensor networks using both the BLE and 802.15.4 protocols to assure the 802.15.4-based devices will not try to transmit during the periods the gateway is busy with other communications.