A Framework of Priority-Aware Packet Transmission Scheduling in Cluster-Based Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks

Industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) are the fundamental components in the next-generation factories. Due to massive heterogeneous data generated from large-scale IWSNs, it is still challenging to achieve predictable, deterministic, and real-time transmission scheduling. In this article, a framework of priority-aware packet transmission scheduling (PPTS) in cluster-based IWSNs is proposed, where the PPTS strategy, the optimization theory, and the implementation design are systematically considered. In particular, the proposed PPTS strategy not only minimizes the transmission delay of high priority packets but also greatly improves the transmission delay of low priority packets. The optimization theory for end-to-end priority-aware scheduling in cluster-based IWSNs is formalized, which contributes to the optimal solution for multidimensional network resources allocation and achieves the minimum of average transmission delay. Finally, the advantages of the PPTS framework over some existing solutions are demonstrated by a case study.