A New Protocol Stack for 6LoWPAN – An Overview

Abstract

Wireless sensor network (WSN) has become the reliable communicating technology within the personal operating space due to their low power consumption and high durability. This makes WSN usable for unmanned or unattended applications involving low data rates. The horizon of their operating region can be extended to explore these features more effectively by making the sensor networks IP enabled. So 6LoWPAN is the technique used to run IPv6 packets over IEEE 802.15.4 network. Here proposed a communication stack for IEEE 802.15.4 based nodes using IPv6. The entire functionality of the stack is divided into modules and shared among the layers. The simplicity of this architecture lies with the buffers, which are maintained between the layers for easier data transfer in either direction. The implementation of this stack using the Atmel RF230 transceiver and Atmega1284P microcontroller is discussed here. This paper explains the main logical details of the data flow within the stack via different layers. Here also exposed the layering mechanism of the stack based on the required functionalities like application objects at the application layer to support multiple applications, link interface layer to support the devices of different link technologies. The data flow between the layers through buffers and queues are narrated to highlight the simplicity of the stack functionality.