February 24, 2017

What Rectangles Teach About Battery Life

One of the key technology developments that enables the IoT to reach its vision is much better battery life in wireless technologies. It’s important because it allows for devices to stay out in the field, serving its purpose without needing to be serviced (which costs a lot and reduces the product’s overall ROI). That’s why so many in the low-power, wide-area (LPWA) space are clamoring to claim long battery life.

Many try to look at the transmit power used to send a signal as a single metric for comparing battery life. Battery life is one of those complicated beasts that unlike coverage, which can be summed up using link budget, requires the whole system to be in place before you can know what it really is.

When it comes to battery life, it is better to transmit quickly at a higher power, than to transmit slowly at a lower power. Why? Well, that’s calculus my dear fellow! If battery usage is the area under the curve, then you want to minimize the area under that curve. So sending one acknowledged message at high transmit power very quickly (RPMA) uses far less battery than sending a single message three times because it isn’t acknowledged using less transmit power (e.g., Sigfox & LoRa technologies). Here’s a picture to demonstrate:

An analogous example, though with some differences but still illustrating the point, happens on our smartphones all the time. Assuming all else equal, when downloading a given large file or video, our smartphones use much less battery power on LTE versus 2G. The reason for this is that LTE uses a very short transmit time because it sends and receives data at a high data rate while 2G uses a much lower data rate over a longer time period.
This is a classic example of more advanced technology making things simpler for us as users. Technology is another word for making a machine of some sort do all the work we’d rather not do. That’s its job. And that’s what we’ve done with RPMA. If you want to have long battery life, with RPMA it’s simple, just use it.

Click here to download our white paper Six Secrets to Long Battery Life to learn the other things that go into building a device with long battery life.

December 12, 2016

The Good, The Bad and the IoT

I live in San Diego County, and while getting my news fix this morning, I heard two reports which were pertinent to the IoT (Internet of Things) industry in which I work. The first story noted that the City of San Diego was awarded a gold medal by the Climate Action Campaign for its municipal sustainability and clean energy initiatives. And, just a few moments later, there was a story siting an audit which had been done on the city’s streetlight repairs, noting that the process was “broken” and that some lights were not repaired for months, posing safety, energy and liability issues for the city.

It was interesting to learn that while a city such as San Diego can have razor-like focus on one IoT initiative, it can also fall extremely short with another. This is not unique to “America’s Finest City”, in fact, it is quite common with municipalities. Many city services operate in silos without interaction between departments. This is a waste of resources, technology, and most importantly, money.

However, the IoT aims to alleviate these issues by providing a single platform on which applications and city services can operate. A network designed for machine-centric connectivity can serve disparate devices and be managed under one municipal roof. To use the example of San Diego, one network could initially provide connectivity for the city’s sustainability applications such as air quality monitoring, fleet management, parking, grid and water. Later, the street lighting could be IoT-enabled and then added onto the same network.

In order to accommodate these varied applications, the network would need to be widely available, have reliable municipal coverage and be able to add devices without capacity limitations. Ingenu’s RPMA (Random Phase Multiple Access) is just such a network. The field-proven network is being rolled out across the U.S. and the rest of the globe at a rapid pace.

Ingenu’s RPMA is ideally suited for Smart City connectivity because:

  • The Machine Network™ is publicly available for a host of IoT applications and is managed by Ingenu, so the city can focus on providing services, not deploying and managing a network infrastructure.
  • RPMA has the best coverage of all LPWA (low-power, wide-area) solutions, so it can connect devices through a city’s varied topology
  • The network is extremely scalable and can add capacity as needed, so IoT applications from an array of departments can operate together seamlessly.

A smart city is only as smart as its network strategy; Ingenu strives to make it simply genius.

December 8, 2016

Bang For Your Buck Prototypes

While LPWAN (Low-Power, Wide-Area Network) companies are busy establishing their networks, a developer’s innovative new prototype can steal the IoT limelight.  My name is Clemente, Intern at Ingenu and Electrical Engineering Student at the University of San Diego.   I am currently building prototypes with the RPMA® (Random Phase Multiple Access) Dev-Kit for demonstrations at upcoming Ingenu hackathons.  This post will share my process of transforming a trip to the hardware store and the RPMA Dev-Kit into a proof-of-concept prototype.   Before getting into my prototyping process, I want to refer you to my colleague’s article about how simple it is to get started with the RPMA Dev-Kit.

Max Gibbons’ blog series “An Idiots Guide to RPMA Development” demonstrated how just about anyone can take the RPMA Dev-Kit and make an IoT proof-of-concept prototype.  In summary, Max used a humidity & temperature sensor connected to an Arduino that forwarded its readings to the RPMA module.  I encourage everyone to check out Max’s series first and see that the RPMA Dev-Kit is as simple as working with a command line interface.   His article did a great job demonstrating RPMA in action; however, the RPMA Dev-Kit acted only as a communication module in his example.  The light I will cast on the RPMA Dev-Kit is its ability to act as a standalone development board.  Furthermore, I implore you to read the material in the RPMA Dev-Kit Starter Pack and find out all the built-in functionality it has.   For my example prototype, I will use one of the most simple and useful features built into the Dev-Kit called “rising or falling edge detected alarms”.

The edge detection feature on the RPMA Dev-Kit, a working home fire alarm, and some simple electronics were all the materials I needed to build an RPMA fire alarm.  In an effort to keep things simple, I started my project by making a few good design decisions.  I asked myself, what signal am I going to use from the fire alarm to alert the Dev-Kit?  Does that signal need modification to work with the Dev-Kit? Lastly, how will I connect and configure my board to a fire alarm?  For the first question, I decided to use the fire alarm’s reliable speaker output signal.   To get access to the fire alarm’s signal for analysis, I removed the fire alarm’s cover and spliced some wires to the speaker output.  Using an oscilloscope showed me, as seen in Figure 1, that the fire alarm speaker outputs a square wave, with a peak-to-peak voltage of about twenty volts.  This voltage is too much for a development board to handle, which answered my second question.  To reduce the signal’s positive voltage to 3.3 volts and eliminate any negative voltage, I used the circuit shown in Figure 2.  This circuit, using Schottky diodes, removed almost all of my negative voltage and clipped my positive voltage to the board’s voltage of 3.3V.   Now that my signal was safe to work with, I had to configure the RPMA Dev-Kit and connect everything together.

As seen in part two of “An Idiots Guide to RPMA Development,” you can configure the RPMA Dev-Kit from the command line running Python with no real coding required.  For my fire alarm application, I configured my board working off the premade configuration file “field_cfg_intrusion_nc.txt” included in the RPMA Dev-Kit Starter Pack.  My Dev-Kit’s configuration was as follows:

  • Set APP_INTF1 as input (DIG_INPUT)
  • Enabled OTA Reporting (OTA Data Reporting = ON)
  • Disabled read & poll mapping (I’m only interested when the alarm sounds)
  • Enabled edge interrupts (INT_ON)
  • Enabled rising edge detection (ALARM TYPE = ALARM_HIGH)
  • Every other Dev-Kit configuration port and features were disabled.

In relation to the entire development process, configuring my RPMA Dev-Kit was by far the easiest part.  For the last step, I just had to connect everything together.  Using a prototyping breadboard with some jumper wires, I connected the 3.3 volts, ground, and GPIO from the RPMA Dev-Kit to the voltage protection circuit in Figure 2.   The final assembled proof-of-concept prototype can be seen in Figure 3.

In a single afternoon, with about twenty-five dollars, I was able to take an off-the-shelf fire alarm to create an LPWAN fire alarm using Ingenu’s RPMA Dev-Kit.  The time I saved, during my prototype’s hardware development, then went towards my application’s software development.  Using the “Rest2Console” Python script, included in the RPMA Dev-Kit Starter Pack, I was able to create additional Python programs that polled Ingenu’s IntellectTM platform to send alert text messages to whoever might be using my RPMA fire alarm.  This project’s rapid time to completion was possible due to the ease of use, simplicity, and independence that the RPMA Dev-Kit offers.  Access the Machine Network™ and develop your next great IoT product in this window of opportunity by requesting your own personal RPMA Dev-Kit here today.

Figure 1: Simulated Speaker Output in Blue, Modified Speaker Output in Green

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2: Protection Circuit with Vout Connecting to RPMA Dev-Kit 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3: Completed Proof-of-Concept RPMA Prototype (White = Signal, Red = 3.3 Volts, Black = Ground)

November 8, 2016

Web Summit: Where the world’s problems are solved

While the focus of many around the world has recently been on the lead up and outcome of the US presidential election, there is a significant technology conference on the other side of the world that has attracted more than 72,000 people, including technology leaders and celebrities, to discuss the future of the internet. The timing of this conference could not be any better.

We are at a point where more than half of the world’s population still does not have access to the internet. Debates rage on in developed parts of the world about access to educational and business opportunities, while the medium to bring many of those to fruition is halted by inadequate network technologies, poorly architected security protocols, and business models that only fit one half of the world’s population.

Shedding light on this subject will be our very own CEO, John Horn. He has been invited to join the prestigious Web Summit speaking docket to discuss the challenges and opportunities of bringing ubiquitous connectivity to, in some cases, an unconnected world.

Look for a number of the discussion topics to find their way back to security, in light of the recent DDOS attacks. As network providers look to bring connectivity, particularly IoT-related connectivity, to places around the world, the recent attacks have caused many to look a little bit closer at what is being done to prevent those type of hacks.

After you’re finished following the grand finale of American politics, be sure to tune into the Web Summit. You can view a live stream here: https://websummit.net/facebook-live

October 26, 2016

Cellular Carriers, Information Cascades, and LoRa

I recently finished listening to the book Algorithms to Live By which takes algorithms from computer science, economics, and other fields and applies them to appropriate life circumstances. As a data scientist, this book was a great nerd out session for me filled with great insights. One of the concepts that you’ve encountered and maybe even heard of is called the information cascade. Though not always applicable, you can think of this as one way to explain the snowball effect. It is one of many ways to answer the question of why people, companies, nations, friends, and others do something that as individuals they would never do but as group end up doing, despite having different preferences.

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October 24, 2016

Industry Perspective on Unlicensed Low Power Wide Area Networks

A question I am asked often multiple times a day on sales calls is,”What about Sigfox and LoRa?”  RPMA, or Random Phase Multiple Access, is often compared to, or thought to be on par with, competing unlicensed low-power, wide-area networks such as Sigfox and LoRa.  I am writing today to tell you why that is far from the truth.

RPMA was created from the ground up to be the simplest, the most robust, and the most secure network for machine to machine communication.  It is the only network purpose-built from the ground up to serve machines exclusively.

Let’s start with simplest.  What if I told you there was a singular wireless network that could cover the earth (and no I’m not talking about Skynet Mr. Terminator)?  With near infinite scalability, extremely long range, and a spectrum that is available in every country on the planet, RPMA can do just that.  Device makers could create a single SKU that could operate on any part of the planet.  RPMA runs on the 2.4 GHz band for the very reason of being able to cover the world with a single network.  Sub-GHz competitors may point to the fact that sub-GHz frequencies can inherently penetrate further than a 2.4 GHz wave.  The point, however, is moot for RPMA because with the combination of RPMA’s processing gain, receive sensitivity, and antenna diversity, it boasts the highest link budget in the wireless industry.  That means RPMA broadcasts further and penetrate deeper than any sub GHz competition.  Lastly, with a network built from the beginning to be able to scale to billions of endpoints, it creates a simple job for product managers.  One SKU can serve any customer in the world, under any RPMA network, at any device count.

Let’s talk robustness.  A single RPMA access point can demodulate and receive up to 1000 simultaneous transmissions over the network.  There is virtually no such thing as a collision on an RPMA network.  That fact coupled with a 100 percent message acknowledgment rate will leave even the most skeptical feeling secure and satisfied.  That vastly overshadows competing unlicensed low power wide area networks that do not even have full bi-directional communication for message acknowledgment, and cannot receive two simultaneous signals without a collision and a resend.

Let’s finish with security.  Imagine a small Internet of Things device, a tracker, that serves the purpose of parents being able to know the location of their children.  One may reasonably suppose that the location of the child should be sent over a secure, encrypted network.  The National Institute of Standards and Technology has defined a 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard.  That means that an additional 128 bits or 16 bytes must be transmitted with each message to create a secure digital signature.  Sigfox provides virtually no encryption (and cannot with a fixed 12 byte message size), and LoRa provides only a 32-bit encryption.  Both are well below the recommended standards.  RPMA has a flexible packet size and easily supports 128 bit encryption just to name one of many security features built in.

While many may presently associate RPMA with the networks of Sigfox and LoRa, this will dramatically change as more and more familiarize themselves with the technologies behind the marketing.

Click here to download our free eBook for an in-depth comparison.

October 14, 2016

Ingenu’s RPMA vs Licensed LPWANs

The cellular industry is built for human interface.  RPMA was built from the ground up to provide connectivity exclusively for machines.

It is no secret that the Internet of Things is still very much a fragmented industry.  I am constantly asked “why RPMA?” and “what about the new cellular standards for IoT?”  Just to be clear, in the little over a year since Ingenu announced it would be rolling out a nationwide RPMA network in the United States, the cellular industry has discussed LTE Cat-0, LTE Cat-1, LTE Cat-M1, LTE Cat-M2, and NB-IoT each as  being the answer to the IoT connectivity conundrum.  Good thing machines don’t move as fast as the typical human consumer, or Mr. Machine would have already dumped his soon to be dead 2G phone for a variety of new non-working phones powered by non-existent networks.  While the cellular industry does “seem” to be settling around LTE Cat-M1 and NB-IoT, we still have yet to see their networks, radio modules, devices, or applications in the real world.  On the contrary, RPMA has been real world tested, and used in a variety of applications over the past eight years.  It is real.  It is now.  It is here to stay.  In stating my case for RPMA over the proposed cellular IoT networks, I will claim that RPMA is technically better, creates an easy global application, and prioritizes machines.

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October 6, 2016

Ingenu’s named as “Fierce 15” 2016 Wireless Industry Leader

Company recognized for disruptive innovation and significant market traction

SAN DIEGO – October 6, 2016 – Ingenu Inc., the pioneer in delivering connectivity exclusively to machines, today announced that it has been named to the FierceWireless “Fierce 15” for 2016. The award recognizes the most innovative startups in the industry across segments of the broad wireless market, from hardware manufacturers and software companies to telecom equipment vendors, technology developers and others.

Ingenu was selected as a Fierce 15 company as a result of the significant market traction it has made since re-branding the company from On-Ramp Wireless more than a year ago. It has enjoyed immense success, despite the highly competitive LPWAN market in which it operates. The attributes of the company’s patented technology, RPMA® (Random Phase Multiple Access), its prominent leadership team, and impressive customer deployments were also cited as factors in the selection process.

“We are honored to have been named to the Fierce 15 list for 2016 by one of the wireless industry’s most influential publications,” said John Horn, chief executive officer of Ingenu. “The team at Ingenu has put forth enormous effort over the past year to significantly expand the company’s worldwide prominence, and this prestigious accolade recognizes those efforts.”

Each company on the Fierce 15 is selected by the FierceWireless editors that track countless potential candidates over the course of the year, and ultimately choose the top 15 companies that have made the greatest impact on the wireless market. To qualify, a company must be privately held, well-funded, emerging, and have the potential to be a major player in the industry. Candidates must also be based in the U.S. or conduct a significant amount of business there, as that is where the majority of the FierceWireless readership operates.

About Ingenu

Ingenu is building the first wireless Machine Network, the world’s largest IoT network dedicated to LPWA (low-power, wide-area) connectivity for machines only. Operating on universal spectrum, the company’s RPMA® technology is a proven standard for connecting Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) devices around the world, with 38 private networks deployed over seven years. The Machine Network™ will have further reach, global range and longer lasting battery life than any existing network. It is also future-proof – enabling technology solution providers to maximize their product’s efficiency and longevity, with unparalleled control and visibility. Ingenu is led by a highly experienced team and backed by one of the strongest boards in the industry, including veterans from Verizon and Qualcomm. Information about Ingenu can be found at staging.ingenu.com, or follow us on Twitter @ingenunetworks.

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September 19, 2016

Is the cellular standard roadmap the answer to LPWA Connectivity? Pt. 9: Power Consumption

Part Nine: Power Consumption

Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) devices are often battery powered.  After all, the LP of LPWA stands for “low power”. Given that these devices are low cost, they do not warrant the cost of frequent battery replacement. Requiring labor to service these types of devices destroys the Return on Investment (ROI) the connectivity. Battery life of 10-20+ years is critical.

Thus, power consumption is extremely important to optimize for maximum battery life. Power consumption is an unknown until a finalized production system and endpoints are commercially available in the field. Cellular LPWA is designing the protocols with power consumption in mind, but they are years away from proving out the actual real-world measurements on a commercial system and have fundamental design issues regarding power consumption that will become apparent over time.

Power consumption is an unknown until a finalized production system and endpoints are commercially available in the field.

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