An Investigation of a Theoretical Zigbee-Based Border Crossing System

Abstract

Excessive delays at border crossings threaten the mobility of people and trading of goods. The management of transportation infrastructure generally requires continuous and real-time monitoring, formulation, and dissemination of information and guidance to motorists and other parties. This thesis proposes and studies a theoretical border crossing system utilizing ZigBee-based wireless networks. ZigBee (IEEE Standard 802.15.4) is a low data rate, low power, wireless communication protocol that enables the spontaneous formation of ad hoc wireless networks. In this system, trucks traversing border crossings are equipped with ZigBee-based systems, which can send different types of information including, for example, (bio-)chemical hazards and other security concerns, as well as other information related to the truck, its shipping company, and its trip traveled to border crossing authorities. The ZigBee network follows a star topology where communication only occurs between trucks and the border crossing authority, which controls the network. Via a plethora of simulations using the OMNeT++ framework, the limits and performance of ZigBee, the system, and their applicability and scalability are examined, including how to maximize data throughput while minimizing power usage, allowing devices to have an exceptionally long battery life. Longer battery life results in cost-effective deployment of this proposed system while still supplying sufficient data throughput.