Traffic Scheduling Mechanism Based on Interference Avoidance for Meter Data Collection in Wireless Smart Grid Communication Networks

Meter Data Collection Building Area Network (MDCBAN) deployed in high rises is playing an increasingly important role in wireless multi-hop smart grid meter data collection. Recently, increasingly numerous application layer data traffic makes MDCBAN be facing serious communication pressure. In addition, large density of meter data collection devices scattered in the limited geographical space of high rises results in obvious communication interference. To solve these problems, a traffic scheduling mechanism based on interference avoidance for meter data collection in MDCBAN is proposed. Firstly, the characteristics of network topology are analyzed and the corresponding traffic distribution model is proposed. Next, a wireless multi-channel selection scheme for different Floor Gateways and a single-channel time unit assignment scheme for data collection devices in the same Floor Network are proposed to avoid interference. At last, a data balanced traffic scheduling algorithm is proposed. Simulation results show that balanced traffic distribution and highly efficient and reliable data transmission can be achieved on the basis of effective interference avoidance between data collection devices.