Realization of MAC layer functions of ZigBee protocol stack in FPGA

In the past few years it has become a popular technology for wireless sensor networks, in which one can implement different types of protocols for communication. The protocol employed depends on the application in which the sensor is meant to be used. A basic communication protocol consists of different layers dealing with the packets of data including the headers for identification of devices, data bits and also some special frames to identify and correct errors which may occur during the transmission. ZigBee was one such novel protocol developed to meet the needs for simple, low-power and low-cost wireless communication devices. ZigBee consist of a layered architecture in which the PHY and MAC layers follow the specifications provided by IEEE 802.15.4 standard. Moreover, IEEE 802.15.4 is potentially vulnerable to interference by other wireless technologies working in this band such as IEEE 802.11 and Bluetooth. As the wireless devices share a common radio channel to communicate between devices, multiple hidden-node collisions occurs; which severely degrades the performance of slotted CSMA/CA. In this paper, we provide a solution to the hidden-node problem by incorporating the handshake signals to an existing MAC protocol and thereby enhancing the delivery of data packets.