Optimization of node placement and channel allocation in WiMedia networks

The WiMedia specifications for high data rate ultra-wideband communication is an emerging protocol with its first products available on the market. One use case is wireless networking based on the Internet Protocol. Conference rooms or offices can be equipped with access points to provide high speed Internet access. Our intention is to establish WiMedia wireless networks in public transportation vehicles, such as aircrafts, trains or buses to reduce costs and enable flexible cabin architecture. Wireless resource planning for node placement and resource allocation is of great interest to achieve high efficiency. Existing resource management algorithms, many have been proposed for the IEEE 802.11 protocol families, can not be applied to our networks, due to the unique MAC protocol of WiMedia specifications, which require different planning approaches. In this paper a resource management approach for this new networks is presented. It uses integer linear programming to identify the optimal placement of access points and the channel allocation in an integrated model. Specific conditions, mainly the beacon group size and extended beacon group size of the network nodes are taken into account, according to the standard. The algorithm was implemented and tested to verify correctness in critical scenarios.