USF inventors have developed an improved signal transmission protocol capable of resolving the throughput degradation due to collisions in IoT networks and significantly increasing the system throughput in comparison with other random access protocols. The new protocol, dubbed Slotted Aloha-NOMA (SAN), achieves high throughput efficiency in an IoT network, meaning a larger number of devices can connect to the internet more efficiently. SAN is not overly complex, making it easier to integrate into current network systems. Other advantages of the new IoT protocol are that it is scalable, flexible, and energy efficient. The SAN protocol can be useful in various scenarios, such as smart homes with an IoT network, where many IoT devices are transmitting simultaneously.
Illustration of SAN Protocol Used in a Smart Home to Connect Multiple IoT Devices to the Internet