Distance- and Angle-Based Hybrid Localization Integrated in the IEEE 802.15.4 TSCH Communication Protocol

Area of Science:

• Wireless communication
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Localization technologies

Background:

• Accurate device localization is crucial for context-aware IoT applications in smart cities and industry.
• Existing localization methods face challenges in complex environments with obstacles and interference.
• Integrated Localization and Communication (ILAC) offers potential for efficient resource utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the IEEE 802.15.4 Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) protocol by integrating localization capabilities.
• To develop a hybrid localization approach combining Direction of Arrival (DoA) and Multi-Carrier Phase Difference (MCPD) methods.
• To enable single nodes to determine the location of neighboring nodes without compromising network performance.

Main Methods:

• Enhancement of the IEEE 802.15.4 TSCH protocol.
• Integration of Direction of Arrival (DoA) estimation.
• Implementation of Multi-Carrier Phase Difference (MCPD) ranging.

Main Results:

• Successful estimation of both DoA and distance to neighboring nodes by a central node.
• Achieved localization accuracy of a few tens of centimeters in a 2D space.
• Validated feasibility and effectiveness in a real-world office building scenario.

Conclusions:

• The enhanced TSCH protocol effectively integrates localization and communication functionalities.
• The proposed hybrid localization method provides accurate positioning in challenging IoT environments.
• This approach sets a baseline for improved monitoring, automation, and interaction in physical IoT setups.