There are many factors to consider when choosing a WSN solution, such as power consumption (battery lifetime), range and coverage, local frequency regulations, data security, project risk and cost.
One prime aspect is reliability in terms of radio performance, coverage and range. Narrowband radio provides the best performance when it comes to radio range and noise immunity in a point-to-point connection. Multi-hop and mesh networks can also be used to extend the range, and to make redundant paths in the network, further increasing the reliability.
An aspect that has come more and more into awareness is security in terms of data integrity and privacy. Radio is an open medium, which means everybody may “listen in”. Encryption of data has therefore become an important part of the wireless standards, and more advanced systems also use authentication. Our radio modules use AES-128 as basis for encryption and authentication.
With respect to project risk, one way to manage this is to use a proven solution in the form of a module. The radio modules from Radiocrafts are complete with all the radio parts and communication protocol integrated. Based on proven international standards such as Wireless M-Bus and ZigBee, or field proven solutions like RC232 and Tinymesh, the module approach reduce the development risk and also reduce the time to market.
In order to comply with local radio regulations which differ throughout the world, Radiocrafts modules operate on several frequency bands, but with a single footprint and interface. It is therefore easy to make a solution that can operate in different geographical markets.
The power consumption, and hence battery life, depends on factors such as the communication protocol used, network topology, and the efficiency of the power management in the module. Radiocrafts provide modules that can run from a single battery cell for 15-20 years.
Last Update: August 8, 2017