Ultra-Low Power Wake-up Radio for 5G IoT

5G Internet of Things (5G IoT), which is currently under development by 3GPP, paves the way for connecting diverse categories of devices to the IoT via cellular networks. For battery-powered low-cost IoT devices, wake-up radio (WuR) appears as an eminent technique for prolonging the lifetime of such devices, thanks to its outstanding energy consumption performance. However, only some small-size battery-powered IoT devices are able to transmit to a cellular IoT base station (BS) directly. In this article, we present W2B-IoT, a prototype implementation of a WuR-based two-tier system, which bridges cellular IoT BS and WuR via a Bluetooth low energy (BLE)-enabled Android smartphone. Such a WuR-enabled IoT device features a current consumption of merely 390 nA and a response time of 95 ms for decoding a wake-up call.acceptedVersio

Architectures and Key Technical Challenges for 5G Systems Incorporating Satellites

Satellite Communication systems are a promising solution to extend and complement terrestrial networks in unserved or under-served areas. This aspect is reflected by recent commercial and standardisation endeavours. In particular, 3GPP recently initiated a Study Item for New Radio-based, i.e., 5G, Non-Terrestrial Networks aimed at deploying satellite systems either as a stand-alone solution or as an integration to terrestrial networks in mobile broadband and machine-type communication scenarios. However, typical satellite channel impairments, as large path losses, delays, and Doppler shifts, pose severe challenges to the realisation of a satellite-based NR network. In this paper, based on the architecture options currently being discussed in the standardisation fora, we discuss and assess the impact of the satellite channel characteristics on the physical and Medium Access Control layers, both in terms of transmitted waveforms and procedures for enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB) and NarrowBand-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) applications. The proposed analysis shows that the main technical challenges are related to the PHY/MAC procedures, in particular Random Access (RA), Timing Advance (TA), and Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) and, depending on the considered service and architecture, different solutions are proposed.Comment: Submitted to Transactions on Vehicular Technologies, April 201

Internet of Things-aided Smart Grid: Technologies, Architectures, Applications, Prototypes, and Future Research Directions

Traditional power grids are being transformed into Smart Grids (SGs) to address the issues in existing power system due to uni-directional information flow, energy wastage, growing energy demand, reliability and security. SGs offer bi-directional energy flow between service providers and consumers, involving power generation, transmission, distribution and utilization systems. SGs employ various devices for the monitoring, analysis and control of the grid, deployed at power plants, distribution centers and in consumers' premises in a very large number. Hence, an SG requires connectivity, automation and the tracking of such devices. This is achieved with the help of Internet of Things (IoT). IoT helps SG systems to support various network functions throughout the generation, transmission, distribution and consumption of energy by incorporating IoT devices (such as sensors, actuators and smart meters), as well as by providing the connectivity, automation and tracking for such devices. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey on IoT-aided SG systems, which includes the existing architectures, applications and prototypes of IoT-aided SG systems. This survey also highlights the open issues, challenges and future research directions for IoT-aided SG systems

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data streaming and integration of BLE and 5G mobile connectivity implementation

Abstract. The energy-efficient wireless connectivity is among the crucial enabler technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT) employed throughout a great number of different verticals. The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio access technology is today among the most widely spread short-range wireless communication technologies for the energy-limited IoT devices available on the market. The thesis focuses on understanding and experimentally assessing the performance of the BLE technology with respect to the maximum communication link throughput and discovering the ways how BLE can be integrated with the 5th Generation Mobile Network (5G). To reach this goal, the study investigates the BLE technology focusing specifically on the parameters affecting the communication throughput, implements and carries the empirical throughput performance measurements for various architectures involving communication between embedded devices and the communication between an embedded device and a mobile terminal, and explore the means of boosting the communication performance range of BLE-enabled devices by integrating BLE with 5G and enabling streaming of the BLE data over 5G. Based on the study, it has been shown that the Nordic UART service achieves a BLE communication throughput of 92 kbps for most of the parameter configurations of connection interval, physical layer configuration, and data lengths. Based on the observed Phone-to-Server mean throughput of 23.11 Mbps, it can be stated that the overall throughput of the end-to-end system, which includes a Board-to-Phone BLE connection and a Phone-to-Server TCP/IP connection, is entirely reliant on the throughput of the BLE connection

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&

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

Energy-Sustainable IoT Connectivity: Vision, Technological Enablers, Challenges, and Future Directions

Technology solutions must effectively balance economic growth, social equity, and environmental integrity to achieve a sustainable society. Notably, although the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm constitutes a key sustainability enabler, critical issues such as the increasing maintenance operations, energy consumption, and manufacturing/disposal of IoT devices have long-term negative economic, societal, and environmental impacts and must be efficiently addressed. This calls for self-sustainable IoT ecosystems requiring minimal external resources and intervention, effectively utilizing renewable energy sources, and recycling materials whenever possible, thus encompassing energy sustainability. In this work, we focus on energy-sustainable IoT during the operation phase, although our discussions sometimes extend to other sustainability aspects and IoT lifecycle phases. Specifically, we provide a fresh look at energy-sustainable IoT and identify energy provision, transfer, and energy efficiency as the three main energy-related processes whose harmonious coexistence pushes toward realizing self-sustainable IoT systems. Their main related technologies, recent advances, challenges, and research directions are also discussed. Moreover, we overview relevant performance metrics to assess the energy-sustainability potential of a certain technique, technology, device, or network and list some target values for the next generation of wireless systems. Overall, this paper offers insights that are valuable for advancing sustainability goals for present and future generations.Comment: 25 figures, 12 tables, submitted to IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Societ