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Learning Advantech LoRa Sensing Technology for Intelligent Building Management Systems

22/01/2018
Market: Intelligent building management Industrial
Application: Wireless sensing and remote management
Location: Taoyuan, Taiwan

Introduction

Advantech offers a LoRa solution that is both technically feasible and affordable. To demonstrate this, we are constructing intelligent buildings at our Kunshan R&D Center in China as well as at the Linkou HQ in Taiwan. The objective of this project is to epitomize Advantech’s vision and technologies for the next generation of intelligent buildings.


 

 

Project Intention

The function of buildings has evolved considerably over the years, from meeting the basic human needs of providing shelter from the elements to becoming a new generation of intelligent buildings that connect various equipment and devices (electricity, air-conditioning, lighting, and doorways, etc.) to form a network that can be managed from a control center. This approach to building design not only enables building management to optimize the allocation of resources and use of energy, but more importantly, it makes management far more efficient by utilizing sensors, video, and audio equipment to communicate and interact with users via PC, smart phone, and other mobile communications devices. In the case of Advantech’s intelligent buildings, LoRa sensor nodes and gateways are implemented for water, temperature, and air quality management.

 

Challenges and Requirements

1. Sensor nodes need to be both indoors, where space is limited, and outdoors, where the environmental conditions can be harsh. They also need to be small, waterproof, and industrial-grade.

2. Some sensor nodes might be hundreds of meters away from the main control room and be required to operate on limited power. Low-power consumption, long-distance transmission capability, and a battery design are thus critical.

3. Management need to be able to use a dashboard to visualize the data transmitted from the LoRa sensor nodes to the LoRa gateway. It is also necessary that the system support standard SCADA software.


Solution

  

The procdure is outlined as follows:

1. Advantech’s Wzzard LoRa private nodes are placed on the roof top and also in the plant room. These nodes connect to sensors and meters such as water level gauges, anemometers, temperature and thermal sensors, and smoke detectors, which are fixed in various locations. The LoRa nodes collect data from end devices and transmit the information back to the control center in 30-min intervals.

2. Advantech’s SmartSwarm 243 LoRa Gateway can receive data from up to 30 nodes, thus enabling centralized management. The gateway also supports HMI systems such as Advantech’s WebAccess/SCADA, thereby giving users the ability to view the visualized data on a dashboard.

3. When the received data indicates that some threshold has been exceeded, the system responds automatically; management can also adjust settings manually.

          


Features, Advantages, and Benefits

           

LoRa Wireless Network Technology

The LoRa platforms provide wireless long-range network communication functionality without the need to pay telecommunication fees, which can have a marked impact on reducing network operating costs. Furthermore, traditional wireless solutions (e.g., access points) have a limited data transmission range and thus force users to adopt an intensive approach to node deployment. Even though cellular routers are unaffected by such problems, they still require the user to pay telecommunication fees.

3AI/1DI for Multiple Sensors and Customized Software

                    The LoRa Private Node can connect up to four sensors simultaneously, making it especially ideal for production lines that have many sensors or for applications where there is limited space for additional devices. Furthermore, the software for Advantech’s LoRa products can be customized to accommodate the most sophisticated of monitoring plans. Because the Wzzard LoRa Private Node offers a high level of flexibility in both hardware and software aspects, it frees users from having to deploy an infrastructure-heavy wireless network, meaning that resources can be allocated to other more critical investments.

IP66 Enclosure and Battery/Solar Design for Remote Outdoor Sites

With an IP66 rating, the Wzzard LRPv Node and SmartSwarm 243 Gateway are protected against ingress by and contact with dust as well as powerful water jets. The dual-power design of these devices (DC/battery for the Wzzard LRPv Node and solar/battery for the SmartSwarm 243 Gateway) also gives users multiple deployment options.

Dual Power-Saving Modes and an Alarm System

The LoRa Private Node has two power-saving modes: sleep mode (for when the node is not in use) and operation mode (for scheduled data transmissions). For instance, if a node were scheduled to report sensor data twice per hour, then sleep mode would automatically activate when the node is not in use, and operation mode would wake the node when the data must be transmitted, thus maximizing the energy efficiency of the device. An alarm system is also installed to notify users when a particular value has exceeded a given threshold.

Why Advantech?

Advantech provides not only rugged and secure products, but also upgrade-ready integration solutions and high-quality services. With years of experience and commitment to Industry 4.0 practices, Advantech’s iConnectivity team focuses on every detail to provide customers with the optimal solution.

 

Conclusion

Statistics show that commercial buildings consume a considerable proportion of the world’s generated electricity. Reducing and optimizing the energy use of buildings is not only crucial for companies seeking to reduce their operating costs, but also for reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This is a major purpose of intelligent buildings. Advantech, with years of experience with industrial computers and networks, is taking a step forward to enable an intelligent planet. With our vision, we are focusing our resources on our future development. We plan to expand our hardware, software, and cloud services to provide our customers with the best intelligent building solutions with integrated platforms. We also plan to collaborate with architects and proprietors to pass certification for intelligent buildings in order to make intelligent buildings more prevalent.

 

Product Information

           

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Edited by
Kuei Lang 郎閣揆
kuei.lang@advantech.com.tw
Industrial IoT Group Marketing

Jimmy Cooper

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