Subject: [ieee-ietf-coord] Updates to IETF/IEEE802 Coordination rev0.18, effort 21 - 6tisch

From: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 12:51:20 -0600

Potential Areas for IETF/IEEE802 Coordination rev 0.18:
21. 6tsch - 802.15.4 is forming a group to work on LLC. Ultimately the 6top layer and related protocol elements should belong there; so there will be a need for splitting responsibilities and transfer.

Pat Kinney (802.15 vice-chair & 802.15.12 SG chair) would like to inform the IETF/IEEE802 Coordination group that the IEEE 802.15 work group (WG) has approved the IEEE 802.15.12 Upper Layer Interface (ULI) Project Authorization Request (PAR).  The next step is for the IEEE 802 WGs review the PAR and suggest corrective language.  Should they approve it, it will then go to the IEEE New Standards Committee (NesCom) for final approval before it becomes a fully approved project.  You can download the PAR document: 15-15-0760-06 (https://mentor.ieee.org/802.15/dcn/15/15-15-0760-06-0llc-802-15-12-par-draft.docx).  I have included the Scope of the PAR below for your convenience:

802.15.12 Scope: This standard defines an Upper Layer Interface (ULI) sublayer in Layer 2 (L2), between Layer 3 (L3) and the IEEE 802.15.4 Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer.  The ULI provides interfaces for data, control, and management information.  The ULI adapts L3 protocols and provides operational configuration including network and regulation requirements of the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC.  Furthermore, the ULI integrates upper Layer 2 sub-layer (L2+) functionalities focused on interfacing to IEEE Std 802.15.4 such as Key Management Protocols (KMP), L2 routing (L2R) protocols, and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) 6TiSCH Operation Protocol (6TOP) for optional use.  Finally, the ULI provides protocol differentiation, using mechanisms such as EtherType, to support multiple, diverse higher layer protocols.    

Additionally, Pascal Thubert (6tisch WG co-chair) states that 6TiSCH is pursuing its effort to recharter, including std work on the 6top sublayer. 6Top may ultimately fall beneath the 15.12 boundary and if so we’ll need to preserve the APIs and the air interface. In that direction, we are following Pat’s recommendations on how to structure our messages over the air.

Regards, Pat

Pat Kinney
Kinney Consulting LLC
IEEE 802.15 WG vice chair, SC chair, 802.15.12 SG chair
ISA100 co-chair, ISA100.20 chair
O: +1.847.960.3715
[email-masked]