A Proposal for Network Coding with the IEEE 802.15.6 Standard

We examine the Medium Access Control sublayer of the IEEE 802.15.6 Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) standard, and propose minor modifications to the standard so that linear random network coding can be included to help improve energy efficiency and throughput of WBANs compatible with the standard. Both generation-based and sliding window approaches are possible, and a group-block acknowledgment scheme can be implemented by modifying block acknowledgment control type frames. Discussions on potential energy and throughput advantages of network coding are provided.Semiconductor Research Corporation. Interconnect Focus Center (Subcontract RA306-S1