Optimization of delays and power consumption in large-scale linear networks using iACK

Reliable, low-delay, low-power transmission in large-scale multi-hop linear sensor wireless networks is a requirement for industrial network applications. The use of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is a must for compatibility with other higher-level protocols. To meet the strict requirement for long node uptime and minimum delays, we use implicit confirmation instead of explicit confirmation for confirmation of the received frame. Energy efficiency and delay optimization using implicit confirmation is analyzed and compared mathematically. The analysis reveals that the use of the implicit confirmation decreases the power consumption at the node and decreases the retransmission delay, maintaining the reliability of the transmission, making the use of the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol feasible in this type of applications.