Multi-tier mobile healthcare system using heterogeneous wireless sensor networks

With advances in technology, dynamic spectrum access is need of healthcare system. Heterogeneous networks increase spectrum efficiency, capacity, and network coverage. Uses of ZigBee, Bluetooth, and TV white space (TVWS) combination meet the increasing user demands on the mobile health system. TVWS is a promising wireless technology that is fast, less expensive, and wide ranged. It has the capability to provide connectivity to the remote and poorly connected areas, where it can efficiently serve telemedicine and healthcare services. This paper proposes a practical multi-tier mobile healthcare system (MHS) based on ZigBee, Bluetooth, and TVWS for connectionless areas to improve the healthcare system. The MHS is based on heterogeneous wireless sensor networks and allows communication in a distributed way, which is independent of time limitations and location boundaries. Heterogeneous technology has a great impact in the medical field as telemedicine progressively dependent on wirelessly connected technologies. In order to keep update the patient and doctor, these technologies imperatively involved transmitting any type of data like image, video, and text. The tier-1 devices use ZigBee and Bluetooth band, tier-2 devices use Bluetooth and TVWS, and tier-3 devices use TVWS and cellular network. In Tier-1 communication, master reduces unnecessary bridges and assigns them a reserve bridge task. In the event when bridge may cause network disconnecting due to mobility the reserve bridge is activated to avoid inter-piconet partitioning. Simulation results indicate the proposed system reduces control overhead, energy consumption, and blocking connections.