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Mass sensor communication
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Generally, in IoT, end devices or sensors communicate with an IoT platform through a low power wide-area-network (LPWAN). These types of wireless networks are designed to allow long range communication at a low data rate to easily connect battery operated sensors. The low power and low data rate characteristics are unique for this type of network compared to high data rate wireless networks such as WiFi that are designed to carry more data, hence, using much more power.
As LPWAN, Aloxy uses LoRaWAN. LoRaWAN is a low power, wide area communication protocol designed specifically to wirelessly connect battery operated devices (‘things’) to the internet in local, regional or global networks.
LoRaWAN operates in the unlicensed radio frequency bands and is known for its long-range capabilities (up to 15 km in rural areas), low power consumption, and the ability to connect many devices to a single network. Its architectural specifications as defined by the LoRa Alliance include end devices, gateways, network servers, and application servers, enabling a scalable and flexible network for diverse IoT applications.
A wireless network enabling mass sensor communication in processing industry.
LoRaWAN is an open standard managed by the LoRa Alliance, a nonprofit organization that promotes and develops the LoRaWAN protocol. The LoRa Alliance oversees the development of the LoRaWAN specification, ensuring that it remains open, interoperable, and suitable for a wide range of IoT applications and industries.
LoRaWAN allows devices to communicate over distances that can range from 2-5 km in urban areas and up to 15 km or more in rural areas. This makes it suitable for wide-area networks like smart cities, agriculture, and industrial IoT applications.
Devices connected to a LoRaWAN network are designed to be low power, meaning they can run on batteries for several years. This is essential for IoT devices deployed in remote or hard-to-reach areas where frequent battery changes would be impractical.
LoRaWAN is designed for applications that require the transmission of small amounts of data over long distances, such as sensors and meters. It is not intended for high-bandwidth applications like video streaming.
LoRaWAN operates in unlicensed frequency bands (e.g., 868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz in the U.S.), which allows anyone or any company to set up their own network without needing to pay for spectrum access. Because LoRaWAN operates in sub-GHz frequency bands, it is much better suited for industrial environments, compared to higher frequencies such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, as it penetrates through obstacles, including walls and some metallic surfaces.
LoRaWAN includes built-in encryption and security features, ensuring that data is transmitted securely. It uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) for both network and application-level encryption.
In LoRaWAN, each end device (the sensor) communicates with gateways in a star topology. The gateways act as bridges between the end devices and a central network server. Devices can transmit data directly to multiple gateways, increasing the reliability of communication.
To setup a private LoRaWAN network, you need end devices such as the Aloxy manual valve sensors, one or multiple LoRaWAN wireless gateways and a LoRaWAN network server. The LoRaWAN network server manages the communication between the gateways and end devices and handles the de-duplication of messages (if multiple gateways receive the same message), manages device activation and security.
It is also able to route that data to external servers such as the Aloxy IIoT Hub, which processes the data and offers application-level functionalities.
Both LoRaWAN gateways and a LoRaWAN network server can be bought off-the-shelf from various providers or provided by Aloxy.
To enable mass sensor communication the sensor forwards its data via the LNS to the Aloxy IIoT Hub.
The Aloxy IIoT Hub is a cloud-based platform that seamlessly connects and manages vast amounts of sensors in industrial environments. By centrally decoding sensor data large scale deployments and management of these devices becomes easier than expected.
With its powerful integration options into OT systems, it enhances operational efficiency across large, complex deployments.
For facilities needing localized control of data, Aloxy.core offers an on-premise alternative, providing the same robust decoding with data sovereignty.
Simplify large-scale sensor management with Aloxy’s secure and scalable solution.
Many companies in the oil & gas and chemical industries have adopted LoRaWAN for various types of applications. Examples are Total Energies, Shell, Chevron, BASF and many more (see use-cases on LoRa Alliance website).
Aloxy provides you the end-to-end solution by setting up a LoRaWAN network together with you. .
Fill out the form to explore how we can set up a LoRaWAN network together.
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