The Role of the Communication Protocols in the IoT: Pitfalls and Advantages

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The Role of the Communication
Protocols in the IoT: Pitfalls and
Advantages
Fabio Gatti – Nov 7th, 2017

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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

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

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

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

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 wireless sensors distributed all over the urban area
Full-mesh multiprotocol network
Many services gathering real time information
An application, Smart City

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

Reference architecture
Source:Azure-Microsoft
Let’s have a look to the communication protocols !

The short range protocols
Some devices connect to the cloud using a
local gateway

Network Operator
Cloud
Network Operator
Cloud
Network Operator
Cloud
The Long range protocols
Some devices connect to the cloud using a
network operator…

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

bluetooth
802.15.4
WI-FI
range
throughput
Sigfox
Lorawan
NB-IOT
4G
10m 100m 1-10Km
Telecomm protocols: throughput vs. range

Protocolli
Long Range
Cellular
LTE
NB-IOT
LPWAN
Sigfox
Lorawan
…
Long range protocols

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

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

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

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

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

 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

Telecom protocols: the whole picture

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!

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

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

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

The Role of the Communication Protocols in the IoT: Pitfalls and Advantages

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