The Internet of Things (IoT) networks are widely applied, and the number of application scenarios is continuously increasing. Whether you are a traditional electronic product designer or a global furniture or clothing manufacturer, this network will have a significant impact on the entire industry, bringing opportunities for everyone. In Taiwan, the local original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have demonstrated remarkable technological innovation — companies like BenQ, Foxconn, Compal, and Qisda are just a few examples. Additionally, Ikea is also joining this wave of transformation. In the coming years, Amazon may be able to recommend fitting clothing based on photos you take with your phone.
But what exactly is the Internet of Things? What are the core requirements for designers and manufacturers in its application scenarios?
A large testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) organization has provided professional certification support for numerous wireless products in its service practice. After encountering many wireless module integration solutions, it was found that in such solution designs, cost factors often have a more decisive impact than seemingly more rational engineering decisions. Although the solution providers may have their own considerations, from the perspective of the testing organization, the rationality of such cost-prioritized choices still needs to be carefully evaluated.
From the perspective of product implementation, whether the device can be successfully put into use primarily depends on the stability of its connection with the host or network; once there is unreliability in the connection, the project is destined to face the risk of failure.
1. IoT Solutions
Selecting the appropriate IoT solution for your application scenario is an essential foundational step. Additionally, compliance issues such as electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), robustness, information security, and radio parameters may also determine the success or failure of the project.
This article introduces several main types of IoT networks. As for which method to use to connect your application scenario to the system, it should be determined based on the specific application scenario; there is no inherent superiority or inferiority among these network types.
2. Network Types
IoT networks are mainly divided into four categories:
1. Mesh Networks
2. Local Area Networks (LAN)
3. Cellular Networks
4. Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN)
Mesh Networks
The core feature of mesh networks lies in the connection architecture of all components — all sensor nodes collaboratively transmit data, ultimately sending the data to the gateway. The Internet itself is the best example of a mesh network. Mesh networks can achieve dynamic self-organization and self-configuration, which can reduce installation costs; the self-configuration capability can also enable dynamic load distribution (especially when some nodes fail), thereby enhancing system fault tolerance and reducing maintenance costs. However, the downside of mesh networks is that the transmission distance is relatively short, and additional sensors or repeaters may need to be deployed within buildings, and the overall power consumption of the network is relatively high. Zigbee is a typical example of an IoT mesh network.
Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN)
Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) are the second important type of IoT network, with the most well-known and widely used IoT network protocol being Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), which operates based on Long Range (LoRa) networks. LoRa is particularly attractive in IoT networks not only due to its low power characteristics but also because its chip set costs are relatively low. In rural areas, a single LoRa-based base station can cover a range of up to 15 kilometers. The LoRaWAN network architecture adopts a star topology, where the gateway relays messages between terminal devices and the central network server.
Local Area Networks (LAN)
Local Area Networks (LAN) are the third type of IoT network. These networks have a relatively short coverage range and, although they are the most commonly used, their stability can sometimes be lacking. The technologies most commonly integrated into final products within this network are WiFi (wireless networks) or Bluetooth, making products using these technologies easier to connect. Since WiFi is available in almost every corner of the street, large networks can be built through distributed deployment. However, it should be noted that WiFi only works properly when the signal strength is sufficient and the devices are close to the access point; moreover, the higher the operating frequency, the weaker the signal penetration capability. Additionally, WiFi typically has a higher power consumption — if you need similar functionality, low-power Bluetooth (Bluetooth Low Energy, BLE) is also a worthy consideration.
Cellular Networks
Cellular networks are as well-known as LANs, if not more so. These networks support communication between IoT devices, but they were initially designed for high-power devices like smartphones, so they are not always the best choice for IoT. However, the new generation of 5G technology is considered a reliable and secure connection method for IoT. The downside of using cellular networks for IoT is that the coverage range is limited; although the cost of cellular connections is now lower than traditional telecom standards and the power consumption is better, IoT devices using cellular connections still consume a significant amount of power.
Currently, there are two cellular IoT wireless protocols competing for dominance, namely Long-Term Evolution for Machines (LTE-M) and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), but 5G is also a high-quality choice for IoT connections. Most people view NB-IoT and LTE-M as 4G technologies, but they also play an important role in 5G systems, supporting 5G low-power wide area (LPWA) use cases. The organization responsible for setting the standards for 5G and other wireless networks — the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has clearly stated that LTE-M and NB-IoT will be part of 5G and, for the foreseeable future, they are the only 5G technologies that can support 5G LPWA use cases. All of the aforementioned technologies have low battery consumption, but from a cost perspective, the related module prices are still relatively high.
3. Which Type of IoT Network Should Be Chosen?
Even so, there is no simple answer to this question — it all depends on the intended use of the device and the actual usage scenario. There are many radio modules on the market that can integrate all of the above technologies on a single chip set, but we also need to consider compliance regulations. For example, from a technical perspective, cellular network IoT solutions may be feasible, but from a national regulatory perspective, issues related to safety, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and antenna integration may not allow for such solutions.
Considering product functionality and determining which IoT network to adopt is a key step in the project initiation phase. For instance, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance is a factor that must be considered, as it may adversely affect the final product design.
The integration issues of IoT modules in final products will be discussed in a separate blog post. It is important to emphasize that before determining which IoT network to deploy for an application scenario, regulations related to wireless modules are crucial.
At GTG (Guangdong Guangce Group), we comprehensively consider all aspects from design, compliance testing, manufacturing to global certification from the early stages of the project.
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