Multiple objective optimization of bluetooth scatternets

Bluetooth technology permits wireless interconnection for local area communication. While the specification defines how up to eight devices can connect using the same radio channel to form a piconet, piconets may overlap, permitting the formation of much larger networks called scatternets. To create connected scatternets, a wide range of decentralized protocols (algorithms) have been proposed. In this paper we address the centralized optimization of topological characteristics that affect scatternet performance. Knowledge of optimized scatternet topology is useful when comparing decentralized protocols and the scatternets they produce. This paper introduces the first multiple objective optimization framework for scatternets, which operates by optimizing node sequencings that represent scatternets. Using NSGA-II, the framework is described, tuned and applied to determine the trade-offs between competing optimization objectives. Finally, the results are used to benchmark the performance and characteristics of four existing protocols from the literature. This research is supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (GR/S23155/01).