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This paper proposes a three-tiered network architecture to support precision farming applications over large cultivated fields. The hybrid network combines IEEE 802.15.4 Wireless Sensor Networks, operating in a multichannel mode, with Switched Ethernet. The network design has to fulfill several objectives, such as, achieving a tradeoff between energy saving for battery-operated devices and timeliness of precision farming applications over large areas, while providing scalability, robustness and cost efficiency. The work presented in the paper is based on real-world specifications provided by end users, i.e. qualified farmers, during a comprehensive investigation and requirement analysis phase. The paper first discusses the constraints that drive the network design and then presents the three-tiered architecture. Finally, the performance of the network, obtained through OMNeT++ simulations, are discussed.

EtherCAT is a real-time Ethernet protocol for factory automation applications that enables periodic data exchange with cycle times of a few microseconds thanks to the capability to process frames “on-the-fly”. EtherCAT does not provide efficient mechanisms for enabling the transmission of asynchronous real-time data from slave nodes. This paper proposes an EDF-based Swapping Approach that allows slaves to send real-time asynchronous traffic over EtherCAT networks in an efficient way, while maintaining the interoperability with standard devices. The paper describes the EDF-based Swapping Approach and presents a comparative performance evaluation with both the EtherCAT standard and an approach in the literature that exploits CAN-Like arbitration.

The IEEE 802.1 Audio/Video Bridging (AVB) protocol successfully supports audio/video streaming over Ethernet networks and is also a promising candidate for industrial automation. However, several industrial automation applications feature requirements that cannot be fulfilled by the current AVB standard. The next generation of IEEE 802.1 standards, which will specifically target the requirements of automotive and industrial control, is under specification within IEEE 802.1 Working Group. Inspired by such an ongoing work, this paper addresses the introduction in IEEE AVB networks of scheduled traffic, i.e., high priority traffic that is transmitted according to a time schedule so as to ensure no interference from other traffic classes. The paper describes the proposed approach, discusses the design choices and presents a performance assessment based on OMNeT++ simulations.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems involving cameras and the multimedia domain are both quite challenging for automotive network technologies, due to the bandwidth requirements and latency/jitter constraints they impose. Ethernet as in-car network is expected to breakthrough in both domains and the IEEE Audio Video Bridging (AVB) standard is a promising candidate. This paper reports preliminary performance assessments of AVB for ADAS, multimedia and infotainment, obtained through the simulation of realistic traffic patterns.