Wireless body area networks (WBAN) are communication networks between the sensors and hubs in-body, on-body and out-body. IEEE 802.15.6 protocol has been developed for such networks.
In this study, channel coding and modulation techniques proposed in IEEE 802.15.6 ultra-broadband (UWB) physical layer for reliable data transmission were investigated with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based dual carrier modulation (DCM) techniques. First of all, WBAN channels were examined and a suitable model was chosen to work on. By presenting different types of DCM, theoretical error probabilities were derived, and compared with both channel coding techniques with the same code rate as DCM and a different transmitter diversity method. IEEE 802.15.6 UWB physical layer has been simulated and compared with the DCM and types discussed in this study on the same WBAN channels and according to the timing parameters proposed in the protocol.
Consequently, it was observed that the simulation results match the derived DCM theoretical error probabilities. Especially in high level modulation, DCM performances have been found higher than equivalent modulations and channel coding techniques. At high data rates, performances of both protocol modulation and DCMs were very quiet low in WBAN channels. Therefore, at high data rates, channel equalizer or higher subcarriers in OFDM systems should be used. |
