11
I
NTERNET
-O
F
-T
HINGS
– A
PPLICATIONS
June 2015
be connected nor synchronized to the network since they sleep
most of the time,
4) the objects do not need to talk to one another in peer-to-peer mode,
5) the objects mostly need to upload data to the network, and
6) they can tolerate missed packets here and there.
Considering all these properties, it becomes possible to build a very
light network infrastructure. Taking advantage of 1) and 2), the phys-
ical layer can operate at a very low bit rate (a few kilobits per second
or less), yielding a higher link budget and a longer communication
range between the object and a base-station, translating into wider
cells, lighter infrastructure to deploy, lower CAPEX and OPEX for
the operator, lower cost of communication for the object. Number
2) o ers the possibility of managing Medium Access Control from
the Cloud, and potentially in future deployments even the physical
layer itself with enhanced diversity. Numbers 3) and 4) mean that the
objects can operate asynchronously with one another and that the
network base-stations essentially continuously listen to the objects
broadcasting randomly. Number 5) allows deploying a very e ec-
tive network where base-stations operate in half-duplex mode, with
uplink and downlink bands sitting next to one another in a license-
free ISM band. Last but not least, number 6) helps validate the proof
of concept with reasonable investment, both on the network and
application side.
A few radio technologies can already support such networks: nar-
row-band FSK/MSK with WmBUS metering private networks,
LoRa by Semtech based on Chirp Sequence Spread Spectrum, Ran-
dom-Phase-Multiple-Access by On-Ramp-Wireless, and alternative
Direct-Sequence-Spread-Spectrum layers to be standardized by Sili-
con Labs and others at the IEEE. In Europe, several utility companies
are deploying their private networks dedicated to metering based on
WmBUS. Others, such as Actility relying on the LoRa technology, are
installing private networks for the smart grid and the smart city.
But only one company has taken the step to actually raise funds to
deploy and operate a truly global and general purpose IoT network
on the basis of their Ultra-Narrow-Band Phase-Shi -Keying: Sigfox.
ere is little doubt that other telecom operators relying on competing
technologies will also deploy their solutions in the years to come. ere
is also little doubt that as soon as a few hundred million connections
are sold yearly worldwide, legacy cellular operators will consider allo-
cating a few hundreds of kHz of their expensive spectrum to a similar
technology, giving birth to 5G.
n
Product News
n
Toshiba: ARM Cortex-A9 based processors for IoT applications
Toshiba Electronics Europe has expanded its selection of ApP
Lite processors with the launch of the TZ5010XBG, TZ5011XBG,
TZ5021XBG and TZ5023XBG. Designed for Internet of ings)
applications, these new ARM Cortex-A9 based processors reduce
power consumption.
n
EnSilica: processor cores targeted at IoT sensing
nodes and always-on applications
EnSilica has added to its family of eSi-RISC processor cores with the
launch of the eSi-3260 targeted at IoT sensing nodes and always-on
applications. e eSi-3260 combines advanced DSP functionality
with the characteristic eSi-RISC small footprint and extremely low
power consumption.
