Comparative Performance Evaluation of Scatternet Formation Protocols for Networks of Bluetooth Devices

This paper describes the results of the first ns2-based comparative performance evaluation among four major solutions presented in the literature for forming multi-hop networks of Bluetooth devices (scatternet formation). The four protocols considered in this paper are BlueTrees [1], BlueStars [2], BlueNet [3] and the protocol presented in [4] which proposes geometric techniques for topology reduction combined with cluster-based scatternet formation. We implemented the operations of the four protocols from device discovery to scatternet formation. By means of a thorough performance evaluation we have identified protocol parameters and Bluetooth technology features that affect the duration of the formation process and the properties of the produced scatternet. We have investigated how possible modifications of the BT technology (e.g., backoff duration, possibility for a BT inquirer to identify itself) make device discovery more efficient for scatternet formation in multi-hop networks. We have then discussed implementation concerns for each of the selected protocols. Finally, we have analyzed the protocols overhead as well as the effect of the different protocols operations on key metrics of the generated scatternets, which includes the time needed for forming a scatternet, the number of its piconets, the number of slaves per piconet, the number of roles assumed by each node and the scatternet route lengths.