A modified IEEE 802.11 protocol for reliable data transmission in automated power distribution systems

A high level of power quality in distribution networks is obtained by means of a diagnostic software, that establishes on-line the status of the network, by elaborating the measured data. An efficient telecommunication system is necessary, from whose reliability depends the security of the timely interventions on the network in case of fault. In the paper, after a brief examination of the diagnostic method, the telecommunication system is examined. The WiFi system has been considered most suitable, for its economy, for the diagnostic service, besides it is not suitably reliable for how it is managed by the IEEE 802.11 protocol for this application. In this work a new protocol derived by the existing IEEE 802.11 is described, highlighting the improvements that it introduces and verifying its capability for the diagnostic service. An application shows its potentiality.