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IEEE 15-04-0218-01-004a

Project: IEEE P802.15 Working Group for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs)
Submission Title: [IEEE 802.15.4 MAC Overview]
Date Submitted: [10 May, 2004]
Source: [Marco Naeve] Company [Eaton Corporation]
Address [4201 North 27th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53216, USA]
Voice:[414-449-7270], FAX: [414-449-6131], E-Mail:[marconaeve@eaton.com]
Re: [Reflector discussions.
References: IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard, 03036r0P802-15_WG-802-15-4-TG4-Tutorial.ppt by Jose
Gutierrez, and 03057r0P802-15_TG4-Specification_summary.ppt by Pat Kinney, Paul Gorday, Phil
Jamieson]
Abstract: [This document presents an overview of the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC sub-layer as currently
specified in the 2003 version of the standard.]
Purpose: [For informative purpose for the IEEE 802.15.4a task group.]
Notice: This document has been prepared to assist the IEEE P802.15. It is offered as a basis for
discussion and is not binding on the contributing individual(s) or organization(s). The material in this
document is subject to change in form and content after further study. The contributor(s) reserve(s) the right
to add, amend or withdraw material contained herein.
Release: The contributor acknowledges and accepts that this contribution becomes the property of IEEE
and may be made publicly available by P802.15.

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Content

Overview
Topologies
Superframe structure
Frame formatting
Data service
Management service
Interframe spacing
CSMA procedure

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802.15.4 Architecture
Upper Layers

IEEE 802.15.4 SSCS

IEEE 802.2
LLC, Type I

IEEE 802.15.4 MAC

IEEE 802.15.4
868/915 MHz
PHY
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IEEE 802.15.4
2400 MHz
PHY

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Protocol Drivers
Extremely low cost
Ease of installation
Reliable data transfer
Short range operation
Reasonable battery life

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MAC Overview

Star and peer-to-peer topologies

Optional frame structure
Association
CSMA-CA channel access mechanism
Packet validation and message rejection
Optional guaranteed time slots
Guaranteed packet delivery
Facilitates low-power operation
Security
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IEEE 802.15.4 Device Classes

Full function device (FFD)

Any topology
PAN coordinator capable
Talks to any other device
Implements complete protocol set

Reduced function device (RFD)

Limited to star topology or end-device in a peer-topeer network.
Cannot become a PAN coordinator
Very simple implementation
Reduced protocol set
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IEEE 802.15.4 Definitions

Network
Device:
An
RFD
or
FFD
implementation containing an IEEE 802.15.4
medium access control and physical interface
to the wireless medium.
Coordinator: An FFD with network device
functionality that provides coordination and
other services to the network.
PAN Coordinator: A coordinator that is the
principal controller of the PAN. A network has
exactly one PAN coordinator.
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Low-Power Operation
Duty-cycle control using superframe structure
Beacon order and superframe order
Coordinator battery life extension
Indirect data transmission
Devices may sleep for extended period over
multiple beacons
Allows control of receiver state by higher
layers

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Star Topology
PAN
coordinator

Master/slave
FFD
Communications flow

RFD
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Peer-Peer Topology
PAN
coordinators

Point to point

Cluster tree

FFD

Communications flow

RFD
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Combined Topology

Clustered stars - for example,

cluster nodes exist between rooms
of a hotel and each room has a
star network for control.

FFD

Communications flow

RFD
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Optional Frame Structure

Battery life extension

GTS 3

Contention Access Period

Slot

GTS 2

GTS 1

Contention Free Period

8

10

11

12

13

14

15

15ms * 2n
where 0 n 14
Network
beacon

Transmitted by PAN coordinator. Contains network information,

frame structure and notification of pending node messages.

Beacon
extension
period

Space reserved for beacon growth due to pending node messages

Contention
period

Access by any node using CSMA-CA

Guaranteed
Time Slot
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Reserved for nodes requiring guaranteed bandwidth [n = 0].

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Optional Frame Structure

Inactive Period

15ms * 2SO
where 0 SO 14
15ms * 2BO
where SO BO 14

SO = Superframe order
BO = Beacon order

Superframe may have inactive period

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General MAC Frame Format

Octets:2
Frame
control

0/2
0/2/8
0/2
Destination
Source
Destination
Sequence
PAN
PAN
address
number
identifier
identifier
Addressing fields

0/2/8
Source
address

MAC header

Bits: 0-2

7-9

Frame type

Sequrity
enabled

Frame
pending

Ack. Req.

Intra PAN

Reserved

variable

Frame
payload

Frame
check
sequence

MAC
payload

MAC footer

10-11
Dest.
addressing
mode

12-13
Reserved

14-15
Source
addressing
mode

Frame control field

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Beacon Frame Format

Octets:2

4 or 10

variable

variable

Frame
control

Beacon
sequence
number

Source address
information

Superframe
specification

GTS
fields

Pending
address
fields

MAC header

Bits: 0-3
Beacon
order

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4-7
8-11
Superframe Final CAP
order
slot

MAC payload

12
Battery life
extension

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13
Reserved

variable

Beacon payload

Frame
check
sequence
MAC
footer

14
15
PAN
Association
coordinator
permit

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MAC Command Frame

Octets:2
Frame
control

4 to 20

Data
Address Command
sequence
information
type
number
MAC header

Association request
Association response
Disassociation notification
Data request
PAN ID conflict notification

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Command payload

Frame
check
sequence

MAC payload

Command Frame Types

variable

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MAC
footer

Orphan Notification
Beacon request
Coordinator realignment
GTS request
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Data Frame Format

Octets:2
Frame
control

1
Data
sequence
number

4 to 20

variable

Address
information

Data payload

MAC header

MAC Payload

2
Frame
check
sequence
MAC
footer

Acknowledgement Frame Format

Octets:2

1
2
Data
Frame
Frame
sequence
check
control
number sequence
MAC
MAC header
footer

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Data Service
Data transfer to neighboring devices
Acknowledged or unacknowledged
Direct or indirect
Using GTS service
Maximum data length (MSDU)
aMaxMACFrameSize (102 bytes)

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MAC Data Primitives

Primitive

Request

Confirm

Indication

MCPS-DATA

Required

Required

Required

MCPS-PURGE

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Response

Optional for Optional for

RFD
RFD

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Data Transfer
Message Sequence Diagram
Originator
higher layer

Originator
MAC

Recipient
MAC

MCPS-DATA.request

Recipient
higher layer

Data frame
Acknowledgment (if requested)

MCPS-DATA.indication
MCPS-DATA.confirm

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Indirect Data Transfer

Message Sequence Diagram
Coordinator
higher layer

Coordinator
MAC

Device
MAC

Device
higher layer

MCPS-DATA.request
(indirect)

Beacon frame

Data request

Acknowledgement
Data frame
Acknowledgment

MCPS-DATA.indication
MCPS-DATA.confirm

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Management Service

Access to the PIB

Association / disassociation
GTS allocation
Message pending
Node notification
Network scanning/start
Network synchronization/search

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MAC Management Primitives

Primitive

Request

Confirm

MLME-GET

Required

Required

MLME-SET

Required

Required

MLME-ASSOCIATE

Required

Required

MLME-DISASSOCIATE

Required

Required

MLME-GTS

Required

Required
Optional for RFD Optional for RFD
Required

Required

Optional for RFD Optional for RFD

MLME-RX-ENABLE

Required

MLME-SYNC

Required

Required

MLME-SYNC-LOSS
MLME-RESET
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Required

Required

MLME-ORPHAN
MLME-START

Optional for RFD Optional for RFD

Required

MLME-COMM-STATUS
MLME-SCAN

Response

Optional for RFD Optional for RFD Optional for RFD

MLME-BEACON-NOTIFY
MLME-POLL

Indication

Required
Required

Required

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Association
Message Sequence Diagram
Device
higher layer

Device
MAC

MLME-ASSOCIATE.request

Coordinator
MAC

Coordinator
higher layer

Association request
Acknowledgment
MLME-ASSOCIATE.indication

aResponseWaitTime
MLME-ASSOCIATE.response

Data request
Acknowledgment
Association response
Acknowledgement
MLME-ASSOCIATE.confirm

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MLME-COMM-STATUS.indication

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Disassociation
Message Sequence Diagram
=

Originator
higher layer

Originator
MAC

Recipient
MAC

Recipient
higher layer

MLME-DISASSOCIATE.request

Disassociation notification
Acknowledgment
MLME-DISASSOCIATE.confirm

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MLME-DISASSOCIATE.indication

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Data Polling
Message Sequence Chart
Device
higher layer

Device
MAC

Coordinator
MAC

MLME-POLL.request
Data request

Acknowledgment (FP = 0)

MLME-POLL.confirm

No data pending at the coordinator

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Data Polling
Message Sequence Chart
Device
higher layer

Device
MAC

Coordinator
MAC

MLME-POLL.request
Data request
Acknowledgment (FP = 1)
Data

Acknowledgement
MLME-POLL.confirm
MCPS-DATA.indication

Data pending at the coordinator

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Passive Scan
Device
higher layer

Device
MAC

Coordinator
MAC

MLME-SCAN.request
st

Set 1 Channel

ScanDuration
Beacon

nd

Set 2 Channel

MLME-SCAN.confirm

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Active Scan
Device
higher layer

Device
MAC

Coordinator
MAC

MLME-SCAN.request
st

Set 1 Channel
Beacon request

CSMA
Beacon

ScanDuration

Set 2

nd

Channel
Beacon request

MLME-SCAN.confirm

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Orphaning
Message Sequence Diagram
=

Coordinator
higher layer

Coordinator
MAC

Device
MAC

Orphan notification
MLME-ORPHAN.indication
MLME-ORPHAN.response
Coordinator realignment
MLME-COMM-STATUS.indication

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Inter-frame Spacing
Acknowledged transmission
Long frame

ACK
tack

ACK

Short frame
LIFS

tack

SIFS

Unacknowledged transmission
Long frame

Short frame
LIFS

SIFS

aTurnaroundTime tack (aTurnaroundTime (12 symbols) + aUnitBackoffPeriod (20 symbols))

LIFS > aMaxLIFSPeriod (40 symbols)
SIFS > aMacSIFSPeriod (12 symbols)

For frames aMaxSIFSFrameSize use short inter-frame spacing (SIFS)

For frames > aMaxSIFSFrameSize use long inter-frame spacing (LIFS)
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Slotted CSMA Procedure

Slotted CSMA
Delay for
random(2BE - 1) unit
backoff periods

NB = 0, CW = 0

Battery life
extension?

Perform CCA on
backoff period
boundary

BE = lesser of
(2, macMinBE)

N
BE = macMinBE

Channel idle?

N
Locate backoff
period boundary

Used in beacon enabled networks.

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CW = 2, NB = NB+1,
BE = min(BE+1, aMaxBE)

CW = CW - 1

NB>
macMaxCSMABackoffs
?

CW = 0?

Y
Failure

Y
Success

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Un-slotted CSMA Procedure

Un-slotted CSMA

NB = 0,
BE = macMinBE

Delay for
random(2BE - 1) unit
backoff periods

Perform CCA

Used in non-beacon
networks.

Channel idle?

N
NB = NB+1,
BE = min(BE+1, aMaxBE)

NB>
macMaxCSMABackoffs
?

Y
Failure

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Success

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Thank you!
Questions

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