Simple prediction-based power control for the on-body area communications channel

Methods for transmit power control based on simple long-term channel prediction for the general body-area communications channel are presented. The power control methods are based on large sets of empirical every-day activity data. Numerous transmit-receive pair (Tx-Rx) locations on the human body, i.e. on-body, for a typical body-area-network (BAN) are considered. With the use of a simple prediction method based on held samples, and an enhanced held simple prediction method that uses short term mean path loss with the held sample, optimal power allocation for long-term transmit power control is described. When tested, according to the draft IEEE 802.15.6 BAN radio standard, on empirical data, both power allocation methods are shown to be more reliable, and also more energy efficient in terms of transmit circuit power consumption, than systems that use typical set Tx power levels for BAN.