Your next product is supposed to be connected to the IoT (Internet of Things), to the cloud. On the one hand to centrally query sensor data and operating states in order to allow for e.g. remote service, planning of maintenance and planned refilling of consumables. On the other hand, the devices should also be configured, controlled and maintained locally with a smartphone or tablet.
Your device contains a control system which is deeply embedded, i.e. consists of printed circuit boards and not of off-the-shelf control components? The effort to implement all IoT-functions and especially the IoT-interfaces can be considerable. This is especially true since these control systems are usually very resource-limited (cost, energy consumption/cooling, space, processing power...).
Since the interfaces and the basic functions are the same for almost all applications and products, the development of your IoT functionality can be greatly shortened by using a standard design platform. It is not intended to be a "one size fits all" solution, but it is so flexible that it can be adapted with little effort to many "deeply embedded" IoT and M2M (Machine-to-Machine communication) tasks.
The specific part for your application we implement based on this Standard Design. This custom part consists of software and hardware in the embedded system plus of the applications for the cloud, the PC and the mobile.
Since you get the sources and schematics of the whole project, there are no dependencies, no "vendor lock-in".
Fields of Application
- Asset tracking
- Sensors/ control
- Preventive maintenance
- Battery powered operator terminal
Realize your IoT system fast and efficiently, based on our standard building blocks for hardware and software.
Hardware
Our standard design for mobile connectivity is based on an Arm Cortex-M33 and various radio modules. This allows it to be flexibly adapted to your needs. The processor allows efficient crypto algorithms on the one hand, on the other hand it has a low power consumption for products that are battery powered or connected to a solar cell. The wireless components have also been optimized for low power consumption.
Software
The software standard design has the components for communication, on the one hand with the cloud, on the other hand with a local app. In addition, it includes the necessary features for cybersecurity: certificates, secure elements, encryption, key management, secure updates via the cloud...
Functionality
The platform offers these options (see also the drawing above: blue part):
- Communication with the Internet/ the cloud:
- on the road and outdoors via cellular mobile
- in closed buildings via Wireless LAN
- Communication with the local operator
- using a smartphone, tablet or laptop
- for data: Bluetooth
- for identification/security: NFC
- via a local operator interface
- LCD display (alphanumeric or graphic)
- Touch
- using a smartphone, tablet or laptop
- Location by satellite navigation
- Application Framework
- infrastructure framework for modular and maintainable applications
- automatic generation of protocol code
The non-functional requirements that the design fulfills are also important. These are often the larger limitation than the functional aspects:
- Data security
- built-in hardware secure element (Root of Trust)
- secure processor/ system on chip
- secure certificate and key store
- encryption
- identification
- Power supply
- Lithium batteries (industrial temperature range -30..85°C)
- wireless charging
- low power for long service life and easy cooling (especially the communication modules can have a significant power consumption and corresponding cooling requirements)
- Secure software updates via the Internet, secure boot of the controller
- Protocols
- MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)/ AMQP (Advanced Message Queuing Protocol)
- CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol)
- Industrial quality
- temperature range -40/ -30 (batteries)..+85 °C
- long product lifetime (long-term availability)
- EMC and radio certification
- developed according to Solcept processes (CMMI for Development (Maturity Level 3), ISO 9001)
Your Application
The specific application can include, but is not limited to:
- Operator interface
- local operating interface
- communication with app (operation via smartphone, tablet, laptop)
- Identification
- Analysis and signal processing of sensors
- position (satellite navigation)
- temperature, humidity, air quality
- position in space, position, distance
- vibrations, acceleration, forces, weight
- current, voltage measurements
- Control of actuators
- switching of (resistive) loads
- stepper, DC, BLDC motors
Technology Base
This Standard System Design is based on the following technologies:
- Microcontroller
- ARM Cortex-M33:
- ARM TrustZone
- Co-processor for cryptographic operations
- ARM Cortex-M33:
- Operating system
- Communication
- WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)/ Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- NFC (Near Field Communication)
- Positioning
- Power Supply
- WPC (Wireless Power Consortium) Qi wireless charging
- low power design of hard- and software