LTDA-MAC v2.0: Topology-Aware Unsynchronized Scheduling in Linear Multi-Hop UWA Networks

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASNs) for subsea asset monitoring. In particular, we focus on the use cases involving the deployment of networks with line topologies, e.g., for monitoring oil and gas pipelines. The Linear Transmit Delay Allocation MAC (LTDA-MAC) protocol facilitates efficient packet scheduling in linear UASNs without clock synchronization at the sensor nodes. It is based on the real-time optimization of a packet schedule for a given network deployment. In this paper, we present a novel greedy algorithm for real-time optimization of LTDA-MAC schedules. It produces collision-free schedules with significantly shorter frame duration, and is 2–3 orders of magnitude more computationally efficient than our previously proposed solution. Simulations of a subsea pipeline monitoring scenario show that, despite no clock synchronization, LTDA-MAC equipped with the proposed schedule optimization algorithm significantly outperforms Spatial TDMA.