ABSTRACT
This chapter surveys some issues pertaining to the design and evaluation of protocols and architectures for (integrated) wireless industrial local area network (WLAN). It presents different solution approaches on the physical, medium access control (MAC), or data-link layer. The chapter focuses on specific technologies and the creation of hybrid systems. It also presents important general considerations and problems of wireless industrial communications and wireless fieldbus systems. The chapter discusses some basic characteristics of WLAN technology and examines some of the fundamental wave propagation effects. It also discusses physical layer and MAC/link layer approaches to overcome or relax some of the problems created by the propagation effects. A challenging problem for real-time transmission is the error-prone and time-varying channel. The chapter also examines some problems and solution approaches to bring WLAN technology to the factory plant and to benefit from reduced cabling and mobility.
