Distributed Synchronization Technique for OFDMA-Based Wireless Mesh Networks Using a Bio-Inspired Algorithm

• Main Authors: Mi Jeong Kim, Sung Joon Maeng, Yong Soo Cho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-07-01
• Series: Sensors
• Subjects: wireless mesh network; OFDMA; bio-inspired algorithm; distributed synchronization; time difference of arrival; time synchronization; frequency synchronization
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/15/8/18287

In this paper, a distributed synchronization technique based on a bio-inspired algorithm is proposed for an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based wireless mesh network (WMN) with a time difference of arrival. The proposed time- and frequency-synchronization technique uses only the signals received from the neighbor nodes, by considering the effect of the propagation delay between the nodes. It achieves a fast synchronization with a relatively low computational complexity because it is operated in a distributed manner, not requiring any feedback channel for the compensation of the propagation delays. In addition, a self-organization scheme that can be effectively used to construct 1-hop neighbor nodes is proposed for an OFDMA-based WMN with a large number of nodes. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated with regard to the convergence property and synchronization success probability using a computer simulation.