Parallel Rendezvous-Based Association for IEEE 802.15.4 TSCH Networks

The time-slotted channel hopping (TSCH) mode of the standard IEEE 802.15.4 provides medium access control for most low-power and lossy network (LLN) applications in the Internet of Things. TSCH creates a synchronized mesh network capable of delivering data packets in a reliable and timely manner. The standard defines a scan mechanism to allow nodes to detect the presence of a TSCH network and to associate to it. However, the time required to do so can be long, which causes excessive energy consumption, as nodes that are trying to associate stay awake during this process. In this paper, we present a rendezvous-based algorithm for TSCH association called PRV-TSCH that significantly reduces the time required for going through this process. The algorithm uses the principle of parallel rendezvous to allow nodes to associate to a TSCH network in a very short time. The interaction between the IPv6 Routing Protocol for LLNs and the time to associate to the TSCH network is also studied. The results of extensive simulation experiments and a mathematical model demonstrate that PRV-TSCH outperforms the purely passive scan proposed by the standard in terms of the time and energy required to associate to a TSCH network.