LoRa Basics Modem and LoRa Edge documentation

Use Case - Basic Asset Tracking

Introduction

A key advantage of the LoRa Edge™ Platform is that it can ease the development, deployment, and management of low power and cost-efficient asset tracking devices designed to operate on a LoRaWAN® network.

The Basic Asset Tracking use case described below is suitable for addressing the business needs of tracking the location of vehicles, trailers, pallets, livestock, etc. You can use Semtech’s LoRa Edge Tracker Reference Design and evaluation kits to evaluate this use case based on the three key elements of the LoRa Edge Platform:

  • The LR1110 chip

  • The LoRa Basics™ Modem software. Programmed into the LR1110 chip, converting an LR1110 transceiver into a LoRa Basics Modem-E device or as a library built into the end-device application.

  • The LoRa Cloud™ Services.

The LR1110 chip with LoRa Basics Modem-E is a sleek, streamlined, and commercial-ready end device that enables a complete set of asset tracking capabilities for IoT applications. The LoRa Basics Modem-E provides the fastest, most economical implementation of the end device for the LoRa Edge Platform.

For more information, see:

Background

The LoRa Edge platform was specifically designed for basic asset tracking, and the system works best when all of the LoRa Cloud services are used as intended.

This use case assumes a properly-implemented LoRaWAN® network. It also assumes that the various methods for aiding the GNSS process can be applied through downlinks.

The various platform components required are shown in the following diagram:

@startumltitle LoRa Edge™ Asset Management Platformskinparam { linetype ortho LegendBackgroundColor White TitleFontSize 36 sequenceMessageAlign center defaultFontName "Fira Sans"}legend left|= |= Owner || <#00ADEF> | Semtech || <#ADD8E6> | Customer || <#D3D3D3> | Ecosystem |endlegendpackage "End Device" { component "Device Application" as APP #LightBlue component "LoRa Basics™ Modem(s)" as MDM #00ADEF [APP] -d- [MDM]}rectangle "LoRaWAN® \nInfrastructure" { component " Gateway " as Gateway #LightGray component "LoRaWAN Network Server" as LNS #LightGray [Gateway] -r- [LNS]}cloud "LoRa Cloud™ Services" { component "Join Server" as JS #00ADEF component "Modem & Geolocation Services" as MGS #00ADEF [MGS] -[hidden]d- [JS]}cloud "Application Server" { component "LoRa Cloud Integration" as LCI #LightBlue component "Application Logic" as APPLOGIC #LightBlue [APPLOGIC] -u- [LCI]}[MDM] -d- [Gateway][LNS] -r- [APPLOGIC][LCI] -l- [MGS][LNS] -u- [JS]@enduml

Prerequisites / Dependencies

Common:

This use case assumes the deployment of a functional LoRaWAN network with an appropriate application server and an integration to LoRa Cloud, as illustrated above. The LoRaWAN network should comply with the LoRaWAN L2 specification ( version 1.0.3 or a later, compatible, version).

Note

While timeliness is not mandated by the LoRaWAN standard, it is an assumed behavior of the LoRa Edge system. Therefore, the system will not work correctly if uplink data is delayed by more than 30 seconds.

Prerequisites for LoRa Basics™ Modem:

  • The end device must be built on modem version 2.x.x.

  • The end-device must include an LR1110 chip and be provisioned on an appropriate join server or LoRaWAN network server.

Prerequisites for LoRa Basics™ Modem-E:

  • The end device must be built on modem version 1.1.7.

  • The LR1110 device must have been claimed.

Step-by-Step Procedure

  1. The prerequisites for a LoRaWAN network, Semtech’s LoRa Cloud services, and device provisioning must be in place.

  2. The device must be activated (started up) within radio coverage of a LoRaWAN network, and the device application must perform the required modem initialization.

  3. The device application commands the LoRa Basics Modem to join the network.

  4. Assuming that automatic Almanac update over-the-air was enabled during modem initialization, LoRa Basics Modem communicates with the network to update the GNSS almanac.

  5. Assuming that Clock synchronization over-the-air (Clock Sync) was enabled at modem initialization, LoRa Basics Modem communicates with the network to acquire the correct time.

  6. If the previous steps are successful, the device application waits (loops) until the clock synchronization and almanac update are started before initiating GNSS scans. (Wi-Fi signals can be scanned immediately.) The results are then sent to the application server.

  7. To use the lowest power position solving operations of the LoRa Edge platform, the device application must provide an approximate latitude and longitude for the device. This needs to be accurate to within +/- 150km. Often, this can simply be the latitude and longitude of the receiving or beaconing gateway.

  8. At this point, the modem is completely up-to-date and ready for normal operation. To reliably and efficiently transfer the raw positioning data to the LoRa Cloud Modem & Geolocation Services (which are used for determining the true latitude and longitude of the device) the device application may initialize a reliable stream of data.

  9. Having reached the steady state operation for asset tracking, the device application should initiate an asssisted GNSS scan and store the results.

  10. Alternatively (or additionally) the device application can initiate a passive Wi-Fi scan and store the results.

  11. Having collected and processed either or both the GNSS and Wi-Fi scan data, the end-device application tags the data collections and may places them into a stream buffer.

  12. The LoRa Basics Modem and LoRa Edge Platform stream the data to the LoRaWAN network. The LoRa Cloud integration server parses the data to determine the correct LoRa Cloud API to use to either recover the original data from the stream, or to resolve the raw data into a precise latitude and longitude that can be used by the Application Server.

@startuml uc_basic_tracking_flowparticipant "End Device(LoRa Basics™ Modem(s))" as MDM #LightBlueparticipant "LoRaWAN® Network" as LNS #LightGraybox Application Server #LightBlue participant "Application Logic" as APP #LightBlue participant "LoRa Cloud™ Integration" as LCI #LightBlueend boxbox LoRa Cloud™ Services #00ADEF participant "<color #000000>Join Server</color>" as JS #00ADEF participant "<color #000000>Modem & Geolocation Services</color>" as DAS #00ADEFend boxlegend left|= |= Owner || <#00ADEF> | Semtech || <#ADD8E6> | Customer || <#D3D3D3> | Ecosystem |endlegend== Device Startup == group Modem Initialization MDM -> MDM : Hardware Parameters MDM -> MDM : LoRaWAN Parameters (Class and Region) MDM -> MDM : Device Message Parameters MDM -> MDM : SetDmInfoField(GNSS_ALMANAC_STATUS) MDM -> MDM : Clock Sync (ALC Sync Enable)endgroup Join Scenario MDM -> LNS ++ : Join Request LNS -> JS ++ : Join Request JS -> LNS -- : Join Accept LNS -> MDM -- : Join Acceptendgroup Almanac update over-the-air MDM -> LNS : Data(DmStatus) group New Session LNS -> APP : Join Notification note left First successful uplink with new session keys defines the beginning of a new LoRaWAN session. end note APP -> LCI : Join Notification LCI -> DAS : Join Notification end LNS -> APP : Data(DmStatus) APP -> LCI ++ : Data(DmStatus) LCI -> DAS ++ : Data(DmStatus) DAS -> LCI -- : Data(Almanac) LCI -> APP -- : Data(Almanac) APP -> LNS : Data(Almanac) LNS -> MDM : Data(Almanac)endgroup Clock synchronization over-the-air MDM -> LNS ++ : Data(ALC Sync Req) LNS -> APP ++ : Data(ALC Sync Req) APP -> LCI ++ : Data(ALC Sync Req) note left ALC Sync Req must be received by Device App Services within 30 seconds. end note LCI -> DAS ++ : Data(ALC Sync Req) DAS -> LCI -- : Data(ALC Sync Resp) LCI -> APP -- : Data(ALC Sync Resp) APP -> LNS -- : Data(ALC Sync Resp) LNS -> MDM -- : Data(ALC Sync Resp) loop until valid time MDM -> MDM : GetTime(...) endendgroup Assistance Position MDM -> MDM : GnssSetAssistancePosition(...) note right The application must provide the assistance position. end noteendMDM -> MDM : StreamInit(...)note rightThis stream will be usedfor transporting the GNSSand Wi-Fi Scan results.end note== Steady State Operation ==loop group GNSS Scan Scenario MDM -> MDM : GnssAssistedMD(...) end group WiFi Scan Scenario MDM -> MDM : WiFiPassiveScanMD(...) end group ROSE Scenario MDM -> MDM : SendStreamData(GnssResults) MDM -> MDM : SendStreamData(WiFiResults) MDM -> LNS : Data(StreamData) LNS -> APP : Data(StreamData) APP -> LCI : Data(StreamData) LCI -> DAS : StreamData group Possible Response from Modem Service Protocol DAS -> LCI : GnssResults LCI -> DAS ++ : GnssResults note right Submit GnssResults to LR1110 GNSS positioning protocol end note DAS -> LCI -- : Position Solution GNSS LCI -> APP : Position Solution GNSS end LCI -> DAS : StreamData group Possible Response from Modem Service Protocol DAS -> LCI : WiFiResults LCI -> DAS ++ : WiFiResults note right Submit WiFiResults to LR1110 WiFi positioning protocol end note DAS -> LCI -- : Position Solution WiFi LCI -> APP : Position Solution WiFi end endend@enduml

Support

The LoRa Edge platform is a multifaceted technical solution with the fundamental capabilities required for implementing an asset management solution. Here, we have documented many of the details and best-practices that will lead to success. Nevertheless, problems may arise.

You can find a wealth of information and documents to help you solve any problems you encounter at both www.semtech.com and on the LoRa Developers Portal. Additionally, Semtech maintains a LoRa Developer’s Forum at https://lora-developers.semtech.com/knowledge-base/forum/. In the Forum, you can find community support for technical questions.

If none of these methods are sufficient to resolve a technical issue, Semtech may be able to provide direct support. For direct support, submit a support request to https://semtech.force.com/ldp/ldp_support