With the increase in the number of machines connected to the Internet (Machine), it even exceeds the number of Internet users. As a result, machine-to-machine ("M2M") communication will hopefully surpass human-to-human communication for the first time in mid-2013. The camp of communications equipment is also expanding, including mobile resource management systems, meters, robots, vending machines, security systems, asset tracking systems, vehicles, emergency call systems, etc.
Nowadays, various mass-produced low-cost computing devices are emerging one after another, running faster and faster, data collection capabilities are increasingly enhanced, and wireless access to the Internet has become more convenient, and the cost of networking is getting lower. Therefore, it is no surprise that the proportion of "dialogue" between machines will soon exceed the dialogue between people. However, at the same time, IP address resources will also be exhausted, and more than four billion IPv4 (Internet Communication Protocol Version 4) addresses have now been allocated. Does this mean that the machine has missed a good time? the answer is negative. In the future, the Internet will adopt IPv6 (Internet Communication Protocol version 6) that supports 2 to the 128th power address, making global IP address allocation more than enough. Therefore, it is also expected that the fourth generation mobile network (4G) LTE can provide data, voice, video and other services based on IPv6.
The motivation for this network change is simple, that is, all devices and applications that can access the Internet and benefit from it will eventually be connected to each other. This is why all kinds of "machines" such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, cars, and game devices all have networking capabilities. Although these are the most obvious applications of mobile internet, humans are not the only users of the Internet, including the rapidly growing intangible applications: millions of machines are used every day to perform data in a 24/7 time without manual operation. The exchange is a silent dialogue.
Just embedded low-cost small (wireless) debug demodulator, any device can access the network. Applications with the ability to report position, speed, or navigation information also require a global positioning system (GPS) or global satellite navigation system (GNSS) receiver. Both of these components, plus an antenna, can be easily configured on devices smaller than mobile phones.
Now, in all areas of the electronics industry, we can always see such a situation.
However, depending on the application, some special conditions are required to equip the device with M2M communication capabilities. Whether considering the initial design, product life (the time the device can run before making the necessary replacement) or geographic coverage (the initial design can only be used in one area, but now it needs to be used in other areas) or it must be upgraded with the wireless network (2G to 3G to 4G) compatibility, you need to consider these conditions.
The following will introduce some important technical characteristics that need to be considered when designing M2M applications, and how they will affect the design of specific types of equipment.
1) Power consumption
For portable tracking devices, safety or personal safety devices, the charging interval is one of the most important features. For example, if the tracker installed on the container needs to be charged once a day, this interval is too frequent, because air or land transportation generally takes several days, and sea transportation takes several weeks.
For consumer devices such as personal tracking or health monitoring, and mobile phones with predetermined standards, the battery duration should be at least 3 days. When comparing the specifications of modems and GNSS receivers for such applications, not only the running / standby power consumption needs to be considered, but also the power saving mode (such as the automatic start function) and the intelligent power saving mode (such as the need to start the main processor) Automatic data recording function). Ideally, these components can be in the lowest power consumption mode most of the time and only start when necessary.
2) Supportability of cellular network
Where can the equipment operate? With the increase in the mobility of people and goods around the world, the ability of modems to operate in different regions has become an important consideration (GSM is supported by 2 main frequency bands worldwide; UMTS is supported by 6 frequency bands; 30). For this type of application, it is important to be able to clarify the operational area of ​​the equipment and anticipate expanding the operational area in the future. After clarifying this requirement, the wireless modem that best matches the task can be selected.
For example, a resource management system that needs to monitor freight traffic in all regions of the world should be equipped with a four-band GSM modem or a six-band UMTS modem. For devices that do not move frequently (such as residential electricity meters), only a single frequency band is sufficient. Other applications may need to consider some additional factors. For example, a vending machine whose location is often not remembered can support "telephone dialing" at any time, but it must be equipped with a modem that can operate or be located in the region.
3) Operator certification
All wireless devices that use GSM, UMTS or LTE communication must be certified by the operator before they can access their network. The modem embedded in the device should also be certified by the operator to simplify the certification process. You can first confirm the modem certification list in the operating area of ​​the tracking device, and then select the corresponding modem. Most modem manufacturers will provide operator certification lists on their websites.
4) Upgradability of wireless debug demodulator
Although remote meter applications with only a small amount of data communication usually require GSM / GPRS, the allocation of GSM frequency bands to 3G and 4G services has been considered. As far as the automatic meter reading system is concerned, it is very expensive to install it on thousands of remote meters. Therefore, it is a wise design to focus on future technologies. This means that regardless of whether a UMTS / HSPA modem or LTE modem is used, or at least ensure that the hardware design is not outdated, modem upgrades should be as cost-effective as possible, which in turn leads to the next feature.
5) Embedded modem design
Today, M2M devices may need to adapt to new mobile communication standards or GNSS standards that appear in the future, or to meet the needs of customers in a certain region, and support their use of the corresponding band or satellite receiver standards. The ideal situation is to only update the firmware, antenna and modem or GNSS receiver in the original design to meet this market requirement. The reality is that unless embedded design is an inherent feature of a manufacturer ’s product, this will be a nightmare. In particular, printed circuit board (PCB) board design issues may create a series of expensive design and logistics cost issues.
The best way to avoid such problems is to use components that are compatible with all wireless modem (GSM, CDMA, UMTS, and LTE) modules or GNSS receiver (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou Satellite Navigation) module settings. With this solution, the PCB design can be adapted to the changes of all end products. The solution to this problem can also refer to the following questions: Do component manufacturers support embedded design concepts? Can their next-generation modems be properly installed on the circuit boards of current modem products? Do they provide technical documentation support to help complete the embedded design?
6) Bandwidth requirements
For many tracking applications today, only low-bandwidth connections are needed to support tracking and information sending and receiving functions. If all you need is data, simple GPRS can meet this demand. If a voice channel is required, at least GMS and GPRS should be supported. If you need a video stream that supports visual monitoring, then UMTS and HSPA are better options. For applications that require high-definition video and the lowest latency (such as telemedicine terminals), LTE is the technology of choice. What is certain is that the bandwidth requirements of future tracking applications will increase. The choice of modem depends not only on today ’s needs, but also on the needs after three to five years, or on the scalability and cost-effectiveness of the modem (see the embedded design section above).
7) Automotive requirements
Vehicle-mounted systems used in environments where extreme changes in temperature, humidity, and vibration conditions are required should use components that comply with AEC-Q100 standards, are manufactured in ISO / TS 16949 certification, and meet automotive use conditions. The quality test of each component shall comply with the ISO1675 standard-"Environmental Conditions and Tests of Road Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment". This is very important for in-vehicle equipment, industrial equipment operating outdoors, on boats or rail cars.
8) Support emergency call system
It has become a global trend to equip new cars with automated systems. Such automated systems can automatically issue accident reports and assist in the recovery of vehicles when they are stolen. The United States, Europe, Russia, and Brazil have all issued national initiatives to support such systems, and have gradually become mandatory in these countries. Such systems usually require a specific modem-an "in-band" modem. The in-band modem allows data to be transmitted over the voice channel, similar to the principle of facsimile data transmission over the telephone line. Voice channels have higher priority than mobile network data, which is why in-band modems are needed. In some special cases, the availability of voice channels is higher than the availability of data channels, such as GPRS or HSPA may not be available in remote areas. In this case, the voice channel is an important means of communication to transmit data to the emergency call center.
For questions about emergency call support, the modem manufacturer should be consulted on the following questions: Is it an in-band modem? Does it support both 2G and 3G networks? Is the modem suitable for automotive applications? Does the satellite receiver support dead reckoning? Can GPS and GLONASS receivers be provided? (See related content above)
9) Auxiliary positioning
For M2M applications that require reliable location information in an urban environment, the availability of auxiliary positioning systems should be considered. Especially in cities where the satellite visual range is easily hindered by high-rise buildings, the situation of lost location scenes can be solved by calling a remote A-GPS server. Using a wireless modem to download a few bytes of satellite orbit data from the Internet is a relatively simple process. Using these auxiliary data, the satellite can calculate the position in just a few seconds, without having to spend 30 seconds receiving 1500-bit satellite frames.
For specific applications such as low-end navigation systems, the situation where the location information is temporarily missing is tolerable. For other applications (such as vehicle emergency call or road toll system), even if the location information is temporarily lost, the consequences will be unimaginable, which makes the auxiliary positioning system a function of great concern. When considering auxiliary positioning, the following points should be paid attention to: Does the positioning (GPS) receiver manufacturer support online auxiliary services? Is the service reliable? Do you provide usability guarantees? Which regions are supported? Does it include client software that supports services? Does the positioning receiver and wireless modem have service-supporting interfaces? Does the service support GPS and GLONASS?
10) Dead reckoning support
Being able to accurately record position, heading, and speed information is essential for vehicle information systems (such as insurance tracking systems). However, in a tunnel without satellite signals, it is necessary to temporarily generate position information through a parallel system. An important technique for supplementing satellite signals is dead reckoning. This technique can infer the vehicle's position and speed based on the data input by the vehicle sensors.
The following questions should be clear about the positioning receiver: Does it support dead reckoning? Can it be directly plugged into the vehicle's CAN (controller area network) bus to obtain data? Can it be directly connected to on-board sensors (such as gyro and odometer)? Does the manufacturer provide a complete, verified system with an evaluation environment? Can the components be upgraded automatically? (See next feature)
11) Indoor positioning
Unfortunately, GPS or any other satellite navigation system cannot be used indoors. The weak GPS signal is easily blocked by walls, metal, and even thin water surfaces. But this does not mean that M2M applications that need to use asset location information are doomed to run without aerial vision. For applications that require approximate location information indoors, combining a satellite receiver with a wireless demodulator and using a 2G or 3G cellular hybrid solution can solve this problem.
GSM or UMTS signals can easily penetrate the wall, so if you have learned the range of the mobile cell, you can calculate the approximate location information based on the overlapping location of the cell. Similar to the above-mentioned assisted positioning solution, this solution also requires wireless connection with external services. The following questions should be clarified regarding the location of receivers and wireless modems: Do you support such solutions? Has it been verified or is it in theory? Will online services be provided and will online services be put into operation? Does the selected satellite receiver and wireless modem support this service? How accurate is it?
12) Compatibility of positioning system
Earlier, only the GPS system was the system to be considered. Russia ’s GLONASS satellite navigation system (GLONASS), Japan ’s quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS), China ’s BeiDou satellite navigation system (BeiDou), and Europe ’s Galileo satellite navigation system (Galileo) have been launched. Compatibility of other satellite systems has become a factor that must be considered in order to improve the stability and accuracy of the system, and at the same time meet the requirements of various regions for their own system compatibility.
Generally speaking, using two systems for parallel operation will become an integral part of the product specifications. For example, Russia's new ERA-GLONASS vehicle emergency call system is required to be compatible with the GLONASS satellite system. Regarding GPS / GNSS receivers, the following questions should be clarified: Do you provide multiple GNSS support? Do you provide parallel GPS / GLONASS or GPS / BeiDou systems?
The above are some factors that need to be considered when designing M2M products. It should be noted that many new standards related to wireless and positioning are in the process of transformation. Therefore, the long-term life expectancy of the product on the market and the target market of the product cannot be ignored. In addition, issues such as product design that can support next-generation performance and network coverage, as well as easy product upgrades are also critical.
About u-blox
Swiss u-blox (Swiss Stock Exchange: UBXN) is the world's leading supplier of positioning and wireless communication solutions for fabless semiconductors, providing related products and services for the consumer, industrial and automotive markets. The company's solutions can help users, vehicles and machines to achieve precise location positioning, and can communicate wirelessly through voice, text or video; in addition, they also provide comprehensive chips, modules and software solutions dedicated to helping original equipment Manufacturers quickly develop innovative, personalized, professional, and machine-to-machine solutions. u-blox is headquartered in Tarville, Switzerland, and has branches in Europe, Asia, and the United States. (company website:)
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