A new protocol architecture for software-defined networking based wireless body area networks

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) are one of the most promising communication technologies for monitoring human health data. Some pending issues in WBAN e.g., it's heterogeneous and complex architecture, vendor dependency, mobility, limited energy resources, traffic prioritization management, control and management processes such as installation/reconfiguration are still among the problems waiting for solutions. In order to cope with these problems, the Software-Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm, which defines a new paradigm of design and management in network communication, has recently been received with great interest by both academia and industry. In this thesis, Software-Defined Wireless Body Area Network (SD-WBAN) approach has been proposed in order to achieve a flexible, programmable, energy sensitive and manageable dynamic network structure of WBAN architecture whose application requirements are defined according to CSMA-CA based IEEE 802.15.6 standard. For SD-WBAN architecture, HUBsFlow network interface protocol, SDNRouting and ESR-W energy sensitive routing algorithms, Fuzzy Logic based gateway selection algorithm and dynamic coordinator node selection algorithm based on specific absorption rate (SAR) have been developed. A controller has been designed with an overview of the network, capable of managing all HUB nodes in range, and taking over network-related control and management operations. The HUBsFlow network interface protocol has been proposed to standardize the communication between the controller as a control layer element and HUB nodes as data layer elements. All components, protocols, and algorithms of SD-WBAN architecture were developed using Riverbed Modeler simulation software. Network performance parameters such as throughput, end-to-end delay, packet loss rate, bit error rate, successful transmission rate, and energy consumption values were examined with various scenarios. According to the results obtained, based on the quality of service requirements defined by IEEE/ISO 11073 personal health data standard, SD-WBAN approach is found to be more suitable than traditional WBAN architecture.