Method for buffering receive packet in media access control for sensor network and apparatus for controlling buffering of receive packet

Abstract

Provided is a method for buffering a receive packet in a sensor node including a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, a media access control (MAC) hardware block and a micro controller unit (MCU). The method includes the steps of: a) if a packet is received from the RF transceiver, checking whether or not a packet which is pre-stored in a receive first in first out (FIFO) exists; b) if the pre-stored packet exists in the receive FIFO at step a), checking whether a length of the received packet is the same with the length of the pre-stored packet in the receive FIFO; c) if the length of the received packet is the same with the length of the pre-stored packet in the receive FIFO at the step b), increasing the number of packet which is included in header information, and buffering a physical payload in the receive FIFO; and d) if the pre-stored packet does not exist in the receive FIFO at the step a) nor the length of the received packet is the same with the length of the pre-stored packet in the receive FIFO, consecutively buffering the physical payload with the header in the receive FIFO.