IoT solutions should rely on solid basis in order to provide a step for the future. One of the foundation of building IoT solutions is identifying the appropriate communication protocol to use. Choosing among the different communication protocols may be a challenging task due to the fact that some protocols may be the right fit for one scenario but not necessarily for all.
In this session, we will examine the communication protocols including their pitfalls an advantages and how to choose the right one for your solution.
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From 1984 we transfom
the electronic industry
Italian Federation of Electronics Clusters
Over 300 member
companies
Electronics, Human &
Urban Technologies,
SSL Lighting
Cooperations with
bodies and Istitutions
Publishing, meeting and
conference, Exhibitions,
Technological workshop
Training, startup, Award
Help you to sell
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Internet 1.0: Some pills of history
1969: Linking the first computer using Arpanet network
1991: CERN discloses the launch of WWW
1996: the quantity of hosts go beyond 10M units
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Towards the Internet of Things
1999: the researcher Kevin Ashton used this new term in order to
describe a system connected to the Internet through a distribuited
sensor network
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IOT: a System view
Here are the main building blocks you can find in a (simplified) IOT
system:
IOT Device (constrained / full cap)
Gateway
Cloud
Application services (Analytics / DS)
Remote access through Smart Devices
Constrained
Full capability
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Many distributed sensors communicating with many protocols
Multiprotocol gw connected through fiber to the Internet
Many services accessible through mobile APPs
Many technologies and protocols working together
An application, Home automation
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Distributed sensor in the production line communicating through
different protocols
Multiprotocol gw connected through fiber to Intranet
KPI available in real time
(AssemblylineSGWcorp-ShenzhenCHN)
An application, Industrial IOT
Many technologies and protocols working together
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Many wireless sensors distributed all over the urban area
Full-mesh multiprotocol network
Many services gathering real time information
An application, Smart City
Many technologies and protocols working together
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In the typical IOT system there
are many protocols working
together…
… they play the role of a
glue keeping all the
subsystems together
The role of the protocols
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Network Operator
Cloud
Network Operator
Cloud
Network Operator
Cloud
The Long range protocols
Some devices connect to the cloud using a
network operator…
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data and monitoring
data and monitoring
According to the project spec, you can solve
your use case in many ways.
One use-case, different solutions
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3GPP standard for low data rate/low energy devices
Peak Data rate DL up to 180kbps (typ value: some tens of Kbps
in UL/DL)
Battery duration > 10 y in case of a typical usage of max 200
byte/day (feature PSM/eDRX in rel. 13)
Max latency < 10 sec
Number of devices: 50K ue/ eNodeB Sector
maximum channel loss (MCL): 164dB
OTDOA positioning (rel. 14): typical error 50m
NB-IOT: main features
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According to the network operator,
there are 3 different deployment
solution:
Stand Alone
Guard band
In band
The impact of NB-IOT deployment on LTE network is neglegible
NB-IOT: frequency range
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They use unlicensed spectrum band
They usually access the network in random way (Aloha style)
Low power and energy consumption
Constrains in rf power and duty cycle (air time)
Source:Keysight
LPWAN solutions
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RF spectrum: a crowded garden
Many protocols share the same frequency band
Noise and interference can be present (better if you can have
a site survey)
Source:Keysight
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LPWAN: an example
World-wide network (but some country are not covered yet !)
Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) transmtter, B: 100Hz
Tx data rate: 100bps
Constrains: 140 messagges/day (6 mess/hour), max lenght
12 byte
Typical mode: uplink mode
Downlink is possible with active polling (4 mess/day)
GPS-free Location service: variable precision, from 500m up
to some tens of km
Source:Sigfox
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Coverage: LoraAlliance and local operator+ operatori locali
It is possible to have a gateway architecture
Proprietary chirp modulation by Semtech
Tunable transmission parameter (tradeoff between number of
messages / link budget)
Bi-directional link
GPS-free Location service: variable precision, from 500m up
to some tens of Kms
(Typicallocalcoverage)
LPWAN: an example
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A project tip: beware proprietaty protocols
Using proprietary protocols sets
some constrains on a second
source solution.
Designing according to the
standards gives you some choice
for the inter-operability
Use standard protocols in your project!
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How to simplify project development
Simulator
Project specification
Interface def
Device development
Cloud development
Gateway development
App development
Integration phase
Sys Test
Test
Test
Test
Test
Release
GO/ NO_GO decision with the customer
By using standard protocols and well-defined interface you can
share the whole system in blocks and go for a parallel development
Partnership with an
external supplier
prototype
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Summing up
In order to choose the comm protocols fit for your project, have a look at:
Application type (how many data, how often)
Coverage (local or wide area)
Energy consumption (battery or PSU)
Costs (subscription fee, mess fee, certification fee)
Your device must fulfill standard regulation (constrain on rf power and
air time)
There are many solutions but the best one depends
on the project (and Customer) req
Conclusions
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Let’s play !
Let’s put everything together and let’s see how a smart city uses all these
protocols with an Open Source simulator:
Cupcarbon U-One