Wireless sensor networks data synchronization using node MCU memory for precision agriculture applications
Kashif Sattar, Muhammad Arslan, Saqib Majeed, Salim Iqbal
TL;DR
This paper tackles the problem of reliable time-aligned data in precision agriculture WSNs where timestamp-based synchronization causes duplication and inefficient storage. It introduces a Node-MCU EEPROM-based Record ID mechanism and a distributed synchronization algorithm to unify local and online data streams despite packet loss. Empirical results demonstrate high synchronization accuracy (up to $99.87\%$) and a dramatic reduction in redundancy from $70\%$ to $0\%$, achieved while handling up to $2364$ packets in eight hours with $8$ local and $174$ online losses. The approach offers a cost-effective, scalable solution for robust data management in precision agriculture and related IoT deployments under unreliable connectivity.
Abstract
Wireless Sensor Networks have risen as a highly promising technology suitable for precision agriculture implementations, enabling efficient monitoring and control of agricultural processes. In precision agriculture, accurate and synchronized data collection is crucial for effective analysis and decision making. Using principles of information theory, we can define conditions and parameters that influence the efficient transmission and processing of information. Existing technologies have limitations in maintaining consistent time references, handling node failures, and unreliable communication links, leading to inaccurate data readings. Reliable data storage is demanding now-a-days for storing data on local monitoring station as well as in online live server. Sometime internet is not working properly due to congestion and there is frequent packet loss. Current solutions often synchronize records based on database timestamps, leading to record duplication and waste storage. Both databases synchronize each other after internet restoration. By providing synchronization among nodes and data, accuracy and storage will be saved in IoT based WSNs for precision agriculture applications. A prototype Node-MCU internal memory is used as a resource for achieving data synchronization. This proposed work generates record ID from Node MCU EEPROM which helps in records synchronization if there is any packet loss at the local server or at the online server to maintain synchronization accuracy despite unreliable communication links. Experiment shows that for a particular duration Node MCU generated 2364 packets and packet loss at local server was 08 and at online server was 174 packets. Results shows that after synchronization 99.87% packets were synchronized. Using previous technique of timestamp, the redundancy was 70% which reduced to 0% using our proposed technique.