400 research outputs found
Coverage and Deployment Analysis of Narrowband Internet of Things in the Wild
Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is gaining momentum as a promising
technology for massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC). Given that its
deployment is rapidly progressing worldwide, measurement campaigns and
performance analyses are needed to better understand the system and move toward
its enhancement. With this aim, this paper presents a large scale measurement
campaign and empirical analysis of NB-IoT on operational networks, and
discloses valuable insights in terms of deployment strategies and radio
coverage performance. The reported results also serve as examples showing the
potential usage of the collected dataset, which we make open-source along with
a lightweight data visualization platform.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE Communications Magazine (Internet of
Things and Sensor Networks Series
Grant-free Radio Access IoT Networks: Scalability Analysis in Coexistence Scenarios
IoT networks with grant-free radio access, like SigFox and LoRa, offer
low-cost durable communications over unlicensed band. These networks are
becoming more and more popular due to the ever-increasing need for ultra
durable, in terms of battery lifetime, IoT networks. Most studies evaluate the
system performance assuming single radio access technology deployment. In this
paper, we study the impact of coexisting competing radio access technologies on
the system performance. Considering \mathpzc K technologies, defined by time
and frequency activity factors, bandwidth, and power, which share a set of
radio resources, we derive closed-form expressions for the successful
transmission probability, expected battery lifetime, and experienced delay as a
function of distance to the serving access point. Our analytical model, which
is validated by simulation results, provides a tool to evaluate the coexistence
scenarios and analyze how introduction of a new coexisting technology may
degrade the system performance in terms of success probability and battery
lifetime. We further investigate solutions in which this destructive effect
could be compensated, e.g., by densifying the network to a certain extent and
utilizing joint reception
Systematic literature survey: applications of LoRa communication
LoRa is a communication scheme that is part of the low power wide are network (LPWAN) technology using ISM bands. It has seen extensive documentation and use in research and industry due to its long coverage ranges of up-to 20Km or more with less than 14dB transmit power. Moreover, some applications report theoretical battery lives of upto 10years for field deployed modules utilising the scheme in WSN applications. Additionally, the scheme is very resilient to losses from noise, as well bursts of interference through its FEC. Our objective is to systematically review the empirical evidence of the use-cases of LoRa in rural landscapes, metrics and the relevant validation schemes. In addition the research is evaluated based on (i) mathematical function of the scheme (bandwidth use, spreading factor, symbol rate, chip rate and nominal bit rate) (ii) use-cases (iii) test-beds, metrics of evaluation and (iv) validation methods. A systematic literature review of published, refereed primary studies on LoRa applications was conducted. Using articles from 2010-2019. We identified 21 relevant primary studies. These reported a range of different assessments of LoRa. 10 out of 21 reported on novel use cases. As an actionable conclusion, the authors conclude that more work is needed in terms of field testing, as no articles could be found on performance/deployment in Botswana or South Africa despite the existence of LoRa networks in both countries. Thus researchers in the region can research propagation models performance, energy efficiency of the scheme and MAC layer as well as the channel access challenges for the region
Positioning by multicell fingerprinting in urban NB-IoT networks
Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) has quickly become a leading technology in the deployment of IoT systems and services, owing to its appealing features in terms of coverage and energy efficiency, as well as compatibility with existing mobile networks. Increasingly, IoT services and applications require location information to be paired with data collected by devices; NB-IoT still lacks, however, reliable positioning methods. Time-based techniques inherited from long-term evolution (LTE) are not yet widely available in existing networks and are expected to perform poorly on NB-IoT signals due to their narrow bandwidth. This investigation proposes a set of strategies for NB-IoT positioning based on fingerprinting that use coverage and radio information from multiple cells. The proposed strategies were evaluated on two large-scale datasets made available under an open-source license that include experimental data from multiple NB-IoT operators in two large cities: Oslo, Norway, and Rome, Italy. Results showed that the proposed strategies, using a combination of coverage and radio information from multiple cells, outperform current state-of-the-art approaches based on single cell fingerprinting, with a minimum average positioning error of about 20 m when using data for a single operator that was consistent across the two datasets vs. about 70 m for the current state-of-the-art approaches. The combination of data from multiple operators and data smoothing further improved positioning accuracy, leading to a minimum average positioning error below 15 m in both urban environments
Cellular, Wide-Area, and Non-Terrestrial IoT: A Survey on 5G Advances and the Road Towards 6G
The next wave of wireless technologies is proliferating in connecting things
among themselves as well as to humans. In the era of the Internet of things
(IoT), billions of sensors, machines, vehicles, drones, and robots will be
connected, making the world around us smarter. The IoT will encompass devices
that must wirelessly communicate a diverse set of data gathered from the
environment for myriad new applications. The ultimate goal is to extract
insights from this data and develop solutions that improve quality of life and
generate new revenue. Providing large-scale, long-lasting, reliable, and near
real-time connectivity is the major challenge in enabling a smart connected
world. This paper provides a comprehensive survey on existing and emerging
communication solutions for serving IoT applications in the context of
cellular, wide-area, as well as non-terrestrial networks. Specifically,
wireless technology enhancements for providing IoT access in fifth-generation
(5G) and beyond cellular networks, and communication networks over the
unlicensed spectrum are presented. Aligned with the main key performance
indicators of 5G and beyond 5G networks, we investigate solutions and standards
that enable energy efficiency, reliability, low latency, and scalability
(connection density) of current and future IoT networks. The solutions include
grant-free access and channel coding for short-packet communications,
non-orthogonal multiple access, and on-device intelligence. Further, a vision
of new paradigm shifts in communication networks in the 2030s is provided, and
the integration of the associated new technologies like artificial
intelligence, non-terrestrial networks, and new spectra is elaborated. Finally,
future research directions toward beyond 5G IoT networks are pointed out.Comment: Submitted for review to IEEE CS&
Feasibility Analysis of a LoRa-Based WSN Using Public Transport
LoRa (Long Range) is a proprietary radio communication technology exploiting license-free frequency bands, allowing low-rate information exchange over long distances with very low power consumption. Conventional environmental monitoring sensors have the disadvantage of being in fixed positions and distributed over wide areas, thus providing measurements with a spatially insufficient level of detail. Since public transport vehicles travel continuously within cities, they are ideal to house portable monitoring systems for environmental pollution and meteorological parameters. The paper presents a feasibility analysis of aWireless Sensor Network (WSN) to collect this information from the vehicles conveying it to a central node for processing. The communication system is realized by deploying a layer-structured, fault-resistant, multi-hop Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) based on the LoRa technology. Both a theoretical study about electromagnetic propagation and network architecture are addressed with consideration of potential practical network realization
Towards Massive Machine Type Communications in Ultra-Dense Cellular IoT Networks: Current Issues and Machine Learning-Assisted Solutions
The ever-increasing number of resource-constrained Machine-Type Communication
(MTC) devices is leading to the critical challenge of fulfilling diverse
communication requirements in dynamic and ultra-dense wireless environments.
Among different application scenarios that the upcoming 5G and beyond cellular
networks are expected to support, such as eMBB, mMTC and URLLC, mMTC brings the
unique technical challenge of supporting a huge number of MTC devices, which is
the main focus of this paper. The related challenges include QoS provisioning,
handling highly dynamic and sporadic MTC traffic, huge signalling overhead and
Radio Access Network (RAN) congestion. In this regard, this paper aims to
identify and analyze the involved technical issues, to review recent advances,
to highlight potential solutions and to propose new research directions. First,
starting with an overview of mMTC features and QoS provisioning issues, we
present the key enablers for mMTC in cellular networks. Along with the
highlights on the inefficiency of the legacy Random Access (RA) procedure in
the mMTC scenario, we then present the key features and channel access
mechanisms in the emerging cellular IoT standards, namely, LTE-M and NB-IoT.
Subsequently, we present a framework for the performance analysis of
transmission scheduling with the QoS support along with the issues involved in
short data packet transmission. Next, we provide a detailed overview of the
existing and emerging solutions towards addressing RAN congestion problem, and
then identify potential advantages, challenges and use cases for the
applications of emerging Machine Learning (ML) techniques in ultra-dense
cellular networks. Out of several ML techniques, we focus on the application of
low-complexity Q-learning approach in the mMTC scenarios. Finally, we discuss
some open research challenges and promising future research directions.Comment: 37 pages, 8 figures, 7 tables, submitted for a possible future
publication in IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorial
NGSO Constellation Design for Global Connectivity
Non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations represent a
cornerstone in the NewSpace paradigm and thus have become one of the hottest
topics for the industry, academia, but also for national space agencies and
regulators. For instance, numerous companies worldwide, including Starlink,
OneWeb, Kepler, SPUTNIX, and Amazon have started or will soon start to deploy
their own NGSO constellations, which aim to provide either broadband or IoT
services. One of the major drivers for such a high interest on NGSO
constellations is that, with an appropriate design, they are capable of
providing global coverage and connectivity.Comment: Book chapter submitted to IET Non-Geostationary Satellite
Communications System
Leveraging TV white apace to monitor game conservation environments
A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Mobile Telecommunications and Innovation (MSc. MTI)Installation of camera-traps by the conservancies has been gaining interest in the recent years here in Kenya. This is due to the increased scientific need to carry out wildlife research and also monitor the movement patterns of the wild game as a way of helping to address issues such as human-wildlife conflict and poaching. This is also gaining traction by the safari camps to enhance customer experience. The implementation of these camera-traps poses a limitation of remotely accessing the camera feeds. This is majorly caused by a challenge of connectivity as many of these game environments are located in rural environments of Kenya. The focus of this study was to find out and establish the best approach of implementing a camera-trap that allows remote access of feeds in the game environments while leveraging on the connectivity that can be provided through deployment of Television (TV) White Space network. Through the use of questionnaires, an online survey was conducted in a select conservancy and a safari camp to investigate the challenges and the technology state within these environments that limit the adoption of networked game cameras. Various secondary sources were also studied to understand the existing connectivity technologies in the realm of the Internet of Things (IoT). The study used a combination of hardware and software technologies in realising the model in a TV White Space environment. A networked game camera prototype that delivers video feeds on a remote mobile interface was developed. The camera prototype utilised a programmed Raspberry Pi camera and the System-On-Chip to relay the gathered feeds in real-time to the mobile interface. The mobile interface developed in this case was an Android-based mobile-web. This was tested by ordinary users in a Wi-Fi environment, TV White Space connectivity experts and conservation officers
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