A neural network propagation model for LoRaWAN and critical analysis with real-world measurements

Among the many technologies competing for the Internet of Things (IoT), one of the most promising and fast-growing technologies in this landscape is the Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN). Coverage of LoRa, one of the main IoT LPWAN technologies, has previously been studied for outdoor environments. However, this article focuses on end-to-end propagation in an outdoor–indoor scenario. This article will investigate how the reported and documented outdoor metrics are interpreted for an indoor environment. Furthermore, to facilitate network planning and coverage prediction, a novel hybrid propagation estimation method has been developed and examined. This hybrid model is comprised of an artificial neural network (ANN) and an optimized Multi-Wall Model (MWM). Subsequently, real-world measurements were collected and compared against different propagation models. For benchmarking, log-distance and COST231 models were used due to their simplicity. It was observed and concluded that: (a) the propagation of the LoRa Wide-Area Network (LoRaWAN) is limited to a much shorter range in this investigated environment compared with outdoor reports; (b) log-distance and COST231 models do not yield an accurate estimate of propagation characteristics for outdoor–indoor scenarios; (c) this lack of accuracy can be addressed by adjusting the COST231 model, to account for the outdoor propagation; (d) a feedforward neural network combined with a COST231 model improves the accuracy of the predictions. This work demonstrates practical results and provides an insight into the LoRaWAN’s propagation in similar scenarios. This could facilitate network planning for outdoor–indoor environments

IoT-based management platform for real-time spectrum and energy optimization of broadcasting networks

We investigate the feasibility of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor and improve the energy efficiency and spectrum usage efficiency of broadcasting networks in the Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) band. Traditional broadcasting networks are designed with a fixed radiated power to guarantee a certain service availability. However, excessive fading margins often lead to inefficient spectrum usage, higher interference, and power consumption. We present an IoT-based management platform capable of dynamically adjusting the broadcasting network radiated power according to the current propagation conditions. We assess the performance and benchmark two IoT solutions (i.e., LoRa and NB-IoT). By means of the IoT management platform the broadcasting network with adaptive radiated power reduces the power consumption by 15% to 16.3% and increases the spectrum usage efficiency by 32% to 35% (depending on the IoT platform). The IoT feedback loop power consumption represents less than 2% of the system power consumption. In addition, white space spectrum availability for secondary wireless telecommunications services is increased by 34% during 90% of the time

Wearable 868 MHz LoRa wireless sensor node on a substrate-integrated-waveguide antenna platform

Nowadays, wireless sensor networks at sub-GHz frequencies are becoming more and more ubiquitous, owing to their impressive link budget. One of the most widespread standards is LoRa, employing Chirp Spread Spectrum modulation to achieve a relatively high data rate at low transmit powers. The latter is ideal for body-centric communication, but the challenge for wearable devices consists in keeping the antenna dimensions sufficiently small. By exploiting substrate-integrated-waveguide technology, a compact wearable 868 MHz LoRa sensor node has been successfully integrated onto a compact textile antenna platform. The wearable LoRa unit operates in a fully autonomous manner, including an integrated battery, transceiver, microprocessor and memory. This paper documents the construction and the radiation patterns of the wearable node, autonomously deployed on the human body and measured in an anechoic chamber. The measurements were performed without any cables attached to the wearable node and, hence, accurately characterize realistic off-body propagation at sub-GHz frequencies. Finally, a body-to-body wireless link is measured between two persons equipped with wearable nodes in the anechoic chamber, considering different body orientations

Disseny i Implementació d'un Sistema de Comunicacions per a PocketQube basat a LoRa

We have recently been able to witness how large companies have set themselves the goal of launching fleets of hundreds or even thousands of satellites to offer different services. This new generation of satellites is marking a clear trend to reduce their size and cost. However, this also leads to increasingly demanding challenges and constraints that require innovative solutions in the design of small-size, high-capacity communications systems. The present work offers the complete process from the design, to the implementation and test of a communications system for PocketQube picosatellites. The proposed solution benefits from LoRa technology, and includes both the hardware part of the communications subsystem and software for its configuration and operation according to the defined protocol. Finally, this project has been designed and integrated, and its compatibility and cooperation with the rest of the subsystems has been tested, for the PoCAT picosatellites developed at the UPC NanoSat Lab.Recientemente hemos podido presenciar como grandes compañías se han marcado el objetivo de lanzar flotas de cientos o incluso miles de satélites para ofrecer diferentes servicios. Esta nueva generación de satelites está marcando una clara tendencia a reducir el tamaño y coste de éstos. Sin embargo, esto también conlleva retos y restricciones cada vez más exigentes que necesitan soluciones inovadoras en el diseño de sistemas de comunicaciones de tamaño reducido y alta capacidad. El presente trabajo ofrece el proceso completo desde el diseño, pasando por la implemetación y test, de un sistema de comunicaciones para picosatelites PocketQube. La solución propuesta se beneficia de la tecnología LoRa, y comprende tanto la parte de hardware del subsistema de comunicaciones, como el software para su configuración y funcionamiento según el protocolo definido. Finalmente, este proyecto ha sido diseñado e integrado, y se ha probado su compatibilidad y cooperación con el resto de subsistemas, para los picosatellites PoCAT desarrollados por el UPC NanoSat Lab.Recentment, hem pogut presenciar com grans companyies s'han marcat l'objectiu de llançar flotes de centenars o fins i tot milers de satèl·lits per oferir diferents serveis. Aquesta nova generació de satèl·lits està marcant una clara tendència a reduir-ne la mida i el cost. No obstant, això també comporta reptes i restriccions cada vegada més exigents que necessiten solucions innovadores en el disseny de sistemes de comunicacions de mida reduïda i alta capacitat. Aquest treball ofereix el procés complet des del disseny, passant per la implementació i test, d'un sistema de comunicacions per a picosatèl·lits PocketQube. La solució proposada es beneficia de la tecnologia LoRa, i comprèn tant la part de hardware del subsistema de comunicacions, com el software per a la seva configuració i funcionament segons el protocol definit. Finalment, aquest projecte ha estat dissenyat i integrat, i s’ha provat la seva compatibilitat i cooperació amb la resta de subsistemes, pels picosatèl·lits PoCAT desenvolupats per l'UPC NanoSat Lab

DIEstro: Motion sensor platform for cattle oestrus detection

The reproductive efficiency of dairy industry has decreased over the last ten years due mainly to an intensification of the management techniques of the herd, and an increase of total number of animals. A main objective of worldwide dairy farms is to ensure that dairy cows, produce as much milk as possible. A cow produces milk while it has a calf to breastfeed, therefore, the less time passes between births, the more ”productive” the cows are. This is the principal reason why the precise heat (oestrus) detection has became so important, a task traditionally assigned to veterinary and expert people examining and watching the cattle behavior, and in recent years to electronic devices monitoring the cow’s physical activity. Tracking the animal’s physical activity by means of a portable device strapped to each animal, is known to be a very effective way to determine heat, but sometimes requires expensive hardware and large batteries. In this work, a low-cost micropower wireless system able to automatically detect oestrus period of cattle is presented. It was designed in cooperation with BQN, a company developing technology for the agribusiness industry in Uruguay. The tracker seizes the recent availability of 1 uA micropower accelerometers, LoRa long range transceivers, and FRAM microcontrollers, to achieve a coin cell battery powered paradigm for oestrus detection. The device records 3 axis acceleration information, process it, and periodically sends it to a server; it has a measured ultra low power consumption of 4 uA while collecting/processing data, reaching a very large (> 10km) communication distance using a star topology and LoRa technology at countryside areas. The scope of the project and this documentation is the entire hardware and firmware development, from the start idea, design and final implementation.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

Scalability analysis of large-scale LoRaWAN networks in ns-3

As LoRaWAN networks are actively being deployed in the field, it is important to comprehend the limitations of this Low Power Wide Area Network technology. Previous work has raised questions in terms of the scalability and capacity of LoRaWAN networks as the number of end devices grows to hundreds or thousands per gateway. Some works have modeled LoRaWAN networks as pure ALOHA networks, which fails to capture important characteristics such as the capture effect and the effects of interference. Other works provide a more comprehensive model by relying on empirical and stochastic techniques. This work uses a different approach where a LoRa error model is constructed from extensive complex baseband bit error rate simulations and used as an interference model. The error model is combined with the LoRaWAN MAC protocol in an ns-3 module that enables to study multi channel, multi spreading factor, multi gateway, bi-directional LoRaWAN networks with thousands of end devices. Using the lorawan ns-3 module, a scalability analysis of LoRaWAN shows the detrimental impact of downstream traffic on the delivery ratio of confirmed upstream traffic. The analysis shows that increasing gateway density can ameliorate but not eliminate this effect, as stringent duty cycle requirements for gateways continue to limit downstream opportunities.Comment: 12 pages, submitted to the IEEE Internet of Things Journa