Low-Power and Reliable Communications for UWB-Based Wireless Monitoring Sensor Networks in Underground Mine Tunnels

This paper investigates the bit-error-rate (BER) and maximum allowable data throughput (MADTh) performance of a novel low-power mismatched Rake receiver structure for ultra wideband (UWB) wireless monitoring sensor networks in underground mine tunnels. This receive node structure provides a promising solution for low-power and reliable communications in underground mine tunnels with more than 90% reduction in power consumption. The BER and MADTh of the proposed receive nodes are investigated via Monte-Carlo simulations in UWB line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) underground mine tunnels. The proposed mismatched receive nodes achieve a MADTh and BER performance approaching the corresponding optimal nodes with ≈1 dB and 1.5 dB BER performance degradation in LOS and NLOS scenarios, respectively. The mismatched PRake (M-PRake) receiver model with Lp=5 represents the best choice for low-power and reliable communications in sensor networks in underground mine tunnels with BER performance degradation of 1 dB and 3 dB in LOS and NLOS scenarios, respectively, as compared to the optimum detector. This minimal degradation in performance is traded for more than 90% reduction in power consumption.