Page 29 - ITU KALEIDOSCOPE, ATLANTA 2019

COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE MESH NETWORK ENGINEERING IN WHITE SPACE
FREQUENCIES

2
1
2
Hope Mauwa ; Antoine Bagula ; Emmanuel Tuyishimire ; Tembisa Ngqondi 1
1 University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela, South Africa
2 University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

ABSTRACT spectrum on an opportunistic basis comes with its own
challenges that may have never been met before by network
The transition from analog to digital television has availed planners and designers. The temporal and spatial variations
new spectrum called white space, which can be used to of the white space is one of the challenges that makes
boost the capacity of wireless networks on an opportunistic the planning and designing of communication networks
basis. One sector in which there is a need to use in white space frequencies a difficult task. Due to the
white space frequencies is the healthcare sector because of temporal and spatial variations of the white space, it is
existent protocols which are using it and the white space difficult to find a common control channel that nodes can
frequency is not as crowded as Wi-Fi. However, design use to exchange necessary control information. Zhao et
simulations of wireless communication networks in white al., [5] found that it is easier to find a common control
space frequencies have revealed dense network topology channel for neighboring nodes than finding a network-wide
because of better signal propagation and penetration availability of a common vacant channel. Cognitive radio
properties of white space frequencies. Consequently, technology is expected to eliminate this challenge as it has
communication networks designed in white space frequencies the ability to sense the spectrum widely and reconfigure itself
will require topology reduction for better communication to transmit in some targeted spectrum [6]. Another challenge
and routing. Therefore, this paper proposes a link-based that makes the planning and designing of communication
topology reduction algorithm to reduce a dense mesh networks in white space frequencies difficult is the dense
network topology designed in white space frequencies into network topology revealed by design simulations of wireless
a sparse mesh network topology. The paper also proposes communication networks in white space frequencies because
a network optimization function to introduce a hierarchical of better signal propagation and penetration properties of
backbone-based network topology from the sparse network white space frequencies. The dense network topology entails
topology for better scalability. Performance evaluation on many nodes being in communication range of each other,
the proposed designs show that the designs can guide network which may result in too many network packet collisions in
engineers to select the most relevant performance metrics the network. This is a complex operation for the MAC
during a network feasibility study in white space frequencies, protocol and too many paths to choose from for a routing
aimed at guiding the implementation process. protocol [7, 8]. Therefore, network design in white space
frequencies will require network topology control to 1) to
Keywords - Hierarchical backbone network, mesh network, improve the energy efficiency and battery lifetime of the
network topology reduction, sparse network, white space network and 2) to reduce packet collisions, protocol overhead,
and interference by means of a better control over the network
1. INTRODUCTION connections and redundancy without affecting important
The multi-hop wireless mesh networks in Wi-Fi frequencies network performance such as connectivity and throughput.
induce prohibitive costs for network carriers to deploy This paper proposes a link-based topology reduction
ubiquitous Wi-Fi, as revealed by many in-field trials [1]. algorithm to reduce a dense mesh network topology
White space frequencies provide a better and affordable network designed in white space frequencies into a sparse
option for deployment of multi-hop wireless mesh networks, mesh network topology. The paper also proposes a
which have a far greater transmission range and better network optimization function to introduce hierarchical
penetration properties than the Wi-Fi frequencies. It backbone-based network topology from the sparse network
is predicted that white space frequencies will address topology for better scalability of the network. The designs
geographic disparities that exist between cities and remote have been proposed to guide network engineers when
and under-served areas in terms of broadband internet access. selecting the most relevant performance metrics to favour
Once that is addressed, the realization of telehealth, which has during a network feasibility study aimed at guiding the actual
the potential to improve healthcare in these areas [2, 3, 4], is implementation process. To evaluate engineering efficiency
easy. achieved by the proposed designs, a performance evaluation
However, designing communication networks such as mesh was conducted on a simulated public safety mesh network
networks in white space frequencies that accesses the design connecting police stations in Cape Town, South Africa

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