A Collision-Free Scheduling Scheme for Sensor Networks Arranged in Linear Topologies and Using Directional Antennas

Directional antennas have the potential to enhance the performance of wireless networks. However, exploiting their capabilities requires channel access schemes specifically designed for this purpose. Among the numerous applications of sensor networks, roadside and highway monitoring can benefit from the use of directional antennas due to increased communication ranges between the sensor nodes, reduction of interference and resolved collisions that such antenna systems can provide. In this paper we propose a simple scheduling scheme that guarantees collision-free communication between synchronized sensor nodes arranged in a linear topology and discuss the practical considerations in terms of the specific application.