Methodologies and Protocols for Wireless Communication in Large-Scale, Dense Mesh Networks

This dissertation examines concepts for wireless communication in large-scale, dense mesh networks, which can be used in future for plant control or building automation. It is shown that recent communication approaches for resource-constrained, IEEE 802.15.4 hardware do not scale well. This motivates the development of methodologies and protocols for reliable wireless communication in large-scale networks. This work covers the following topics: a "toolbox" for the development, programming, testing, and simulation of communication protocols for embedded systems; the decomposition of large networks into smaller subnets; concepts for scalable broadcasting and routing; the realization of selected network services such as emergency shutdowns and software updates.