Performance comparison of wireless body area network protocol with dual carrier modulations

Abstract

Wireless body area networks are communication networks between the sensors and hubs in-body, on-body and out-body. IEEE 802.15.6 protocol has been developed for such networks. In this study, modulation techniques proposed in IEEE 802.15.6 ultra-broadband physical layer were compared with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing based dual carrier modulation techniques in wireless body area networks channels. The dual carrier modulation is defined with 16-quadrature amplitude modulation constellation diagrams. In order to have reliable communication, dual carrier modulation with lower level modulations such as quadrature amplitude modulation and binary phase shift keying constellation diagrams has been presented in this study. IEEE 802.15.6 ultra-broadband physical layer has been simulated and compared with the dual carrier modulation and types discussed on the same wireless body area networks channels and according to the timing parameters proposed in the protocol. Performance results have been given as bit error rate-signal to noise ratio graphs. At low data rates, it was observed that the performances were high, while the dual carrier modulation performances were even higher. Due to the high dispersion of wireless body area networks channels, the performances of both protocol modulations and dual carrier modulations are quite low in wireless body area networks channels at high data rates. Therefore, at high data rates, a suitable channel equalizer or high number of subcarriers should be used for modulations with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing because of the high tap number of wireless body area network channel. By using dual carrier modulation with higher subcarrier, better performance results are achieved with trade off hardware complexity.