Adaptive Trickle Timer for Efficient 6TiSCH Network Formation using Q-Learning

The 6TiSCH (IPv6 over IEEE802.15.4e time-slotted channel hopping mode) wireless sensor network architecture utilizes control packets to construct formation. These are essential for establishing communication links between nodes and configuring settings. trickle timer algorithm is utilized broadcast the DIO packet. carries information about available parent nodes, which then used form routing tree. Sensors transmit in one cell on each TSCH slotframe, called minimal cell. This leads problem that RPL encounters congestion packet transmission with other messages, particularly dense networks. Moreover, high traffic also queue usage, drops Failed can increase formation time energy consumption. To address this issue, we propose Q-Trickle, an adaptive based Q-learning determines optimal policy transmitting or suppressing conditions. Q-Trickle adaptively selects a redundancy constant value interval promotes fair distribution considers condition. Additionally, scheme formulated lower faster synchronization. proposed methods were assessed using simulation actual testing FIT IoT-LAB testbed. results indicated performed better than benchmark methods. decreases joining time, consumption, number of failed compared original by -13%, -11%, -43%, respectively.