%0 Journal Article
%T Address Assignment in Indoor Wireless Networks Using Deterministic Channel Simulation
%A Edgar Holleis
%A Christoph Grimm
%J ISRN Sensor Networks
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/495653
%X A crucial step during commissioning of wireless sensor and automation networks is assigning high-level node addresses (e.g., floor/room/fixture) to nodes mounted at their respective location. This address assignment typically requires visiting every single node prior to, during, or after mounting. For large-scale networks it also presents a considerable logistical effort. This paper describes a new approach to automatically assign high-level addresses without visiting every node. First, the wireless channel is simulated using a deterministic channel simulation in order to obtain node-to-node estimates of path loss. Next, the channel is measured by a precommissioning test procedure on the live network. In a third step, results from measurements and simulation are condensed into graphs and matched against each other. The resulting problem, identified as weighted graph matching, is solved heuristically. Viability of the approach and its performance is demonstrated by means of a publicly available test data set, which the algorithm is able to solve flawlessly. Further points of interest are the conditions that lead to high quality address assignments. 1. Introduction Building automation is not a new technology. However, with the advent of smart environments and the Internet of Things, the topic is again the focus of increased attention. This is especially true for wireless building automation systems, overlapping strongly with wireless sensor networks. This work deals with address assignment in wireless (building) automation networks, an underresearched topic, emerging primarily from experience with large-scale installations. By address assignment we mean attaching a high-level address which conveys locality (e.g., floor/room/fixture) to the nodes of the wireless network. The goal is, in other words, to produce a mapping from the addresses used by the MAC layer onto logical addresses based on location or role. Some protocols are explicit in their distinction between low-level address and high-level address. Other protocols, such as ZigBee, rely on low-level addresses for communication but support high-level roles with group membership or binding tables. High-level addresses become explicit again if dealt with in the context of a deployment plan or professional commissioning tool. Address assignment is a necessary step of commissioning of automation networks. While this work deals with both location and wireless channel measurements, it is different from the field of sensor node localization. Localization is typically a continuous problem; address assignment
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.sensor.networks/2013/495653/