Coverage range analysis of IEEE 802.15.4a IR-UWB for reliable data transmission in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks for industrial communication require high reliability and low latency. Since state of the art wireless sensor networks do not entirely meet these requirements, novel system approaches need to be developed. Ultra wideband communication systems seem to be a promising approach due to the high bandwidth and the resulting robustness against frequency selectivity. Therefore, this paper analyzes the IEEE 802.15.4a impulse-radio ultra-wideband physical layer for the application in wireless sensor networks. The packet error rate for two types of receiver - energy detector and correlation receiver - is evaluated with respect to signal-to-noise ratio. Taking into account regulatory limitations and realistic transceiver characteristics, the maximal achievable coverage range is derived. As a result, the dependency between required reliability of a wireless sensor transmission and the achievable operating distance is given. This upper bound can be used as decision guideline in order to select a suitable system for deployment of a wireless sensor network.