Coexistence optimization of wireless PAN automation systems

Wireless technologies are being envisioned for industrial automation after their success in consumer electronics. Many wireless technologies are available today, where most important are IEEE 802.11 a/b/g for WLAN, and IEEE 802.15 for WPAN standards. Despite the advantages a single wireless technology might offer in an automation system, it will be often required to run multiple WLAN/WPAN networks in parallel in different or overlapping regions of the plant. Most of these technologies are working in the 2.4 GHz ISM band which is unlicensed and available all over the world. Because of this fact, it can be expected that all these technologies will interfere with each other. Thus the coexistence of multiple networks needs to be investigated and some parameters should be adjusted to optimize reliability and security of these technologies. We suggest an easy-to-use coexistence measurement test site and investigated the coexistence properties of WPAN systems like Bluetooth IEEE 802.15.1, ZigBee IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.15.4a based CSS, and narrowband FSK and suggest optimal parameter settings.