- The new product from Semtech offers ability to transmit larger packets of data including images and sound recordings for AI-powered solutions
- It also operates with third-party IoT protocols including Wi-Fi, Z-Wave and Amazon Sidewalk
LoRaWAN is a long-range technology that transmits in and through large or rugged environments at relatively low power. However, because the data being transmitted must be limited, that has reduced the number of LoRaWAN deployments only to applications that just require small data packets.
Over time, with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning taking place on the edge, IoT deployments are changing and semiconductor company Semtech has seen a need for higher data rates for its transceiver products.
So its latest product, the fourth-generation (Gen 4) LoRa Plus LR2021 Transceiver can transmit via at forty-times the distance of standard LoRaWAN throughput—from 62.5 bits per second in previous generations to 2.6 megabits per second (Mbps)—in the new system. The LR2021 is the first in Semtech’s LoRa Plus family of products aimed at supporting more networks as well in addition to LoRaWAN protocol.
Semtech’s New Product
In fact, the transceiver is designed to accommodate multiple physical layers for third-party technologies such as Z-Wave, Wi-Sun FSK, WMBUS and Amazon Sidewalk—ultimately boosting the flexibility of what IoT sensors can accomplish and how the data is received and sent. It accomplishes through Semtech’s “fast long-range communication” (FLRC) modulation.
This is the fourth generation of Semtech transceivers to enable management of data on the edge, and long-range transmission without the need for large batteries, said Shahar Feldman, Semtech’s senior director of product marketing.
Accommodating AI
AI on the edge requires more data capacity for the transceiver. The need for high data rates is growing as IoT solution further leverage AI on a sensor device. “We’ve been serving some of those AI powered applications,” which, according to Feldman, means a sensor can identify a specific event and send relevant data such as audio or video.
“So if it’s microphone, if it’s a tiny camera they will do audio [or visual] classification the device could identify an issue and transmit accordingly based, on the sound of glass shattering or the movement of a person in the area,” he said.
“What we were lacking so far was the ability to maybe along with the detection or a specific triggered event to be able to send the audio clip or maybe an image.”
More Data, Same Low-Power Footprint
Now the company is expanding its latest transceiver to support high data transfer rates such as sending an image or audio recording. It can transmit via 2.4 GHz or sub GHz for asset tracking on long sea routes, from harsh environments, or as an alternative to previous patchworks of networks, around the world. The Gen 4 transceiver can leverage third- party protocols low power wireless solutions, said Feldman.
“We’re going to continue to introduce more and more of those protocols” Feldman said. “There’s no one single solution that serves all applications.”
Some existing technology provides short range, high data transfer—such as Wi-Fi—but would require considerable power, making sensors bulky and high cost. “I think this is definitely the first time that we’re going to have a single transceiver that’s really capable to [manage] very long, low power transmissions,” he said.
By bringing LoRa to other IoT devices, the transceiver is intended to access both terrestrial and satellite-based transmissions. That means if it is on a ship travelling between continents, it can continue to transmit according to the frequency for the area network.
And it can transmit up to 36 thousand kilometers to geostationary satellites. That’s possible with multi-spreading factors (SF) receiver with low noise, improved CAD and tolerance for temperature fluctuations.
Leveraging Previous Generations
Semtech introduced its first generation LoRaWAN chip in 2013 to enable IoT deployments needing high sensitivity using the LoRaWAN protocol. Its next generation product reduced power consumption by half “which was a very significant step for us while maintaining the sensitivity levels,” said Feldman.
That has made it a popular product for water meter tracking at distances for instance, and for industrial IoT solutions at manufacturing sites. There are 1.3 million of such meter tracking devices in use. These sensors also can be used for smart agriculture, for instance cattle tracking, he said.
And wherever the device goes, the transceiver can adjust the RF channel based on local requirements.
“With our third generation LoRaEdge, we enabled location awareness or proximity awareness,” Feldman explained. The device could be used for asset management when the sensors are on the move. “We’ve added the ability to sense GPS satellite information to basically calculate the position of technology. That added the ability to do some asset management, asset tracking, logistics-type of use cases.”
Extending Data Transmission with Sensitivity
With the Gen 4 version users, will experience an increase in sensitivity. The goal is to make IoT deployments more intuitive and seamless. “We’re basically doubling the range of what we’ve introduced only a couple of years ago,” said Feldman.
The transceiver boasts a simple reference design. “We don’t even require an RF switch which brings even further cost savings within its smaller size, lightweight RF, with no need for a switch, no need for any thermal relief, these are some of the pain points that our customers are used to,” he said.
In early deployments, some companies are building the technology into small pet trackers that transmit via LoRaWAN but also accommodate the Amazon sidewalk network.
Commercial Release this Summer
Companies using IoT devices for security such as camera systems or doorbells, might require the reliability of LoRa transmission in the event a Wi-Fi system fails. “If they would like to augment any security system with LoRa traditionally it would be in a situation where you basically need to choose: ‘do I now double my price and add another radio’?” he suggested. “Now we’re basically saying you don’t need to make a decision you can use basically a single Gen. 4 device and you can support both legacy sensors and all your new deployments with LoRa.”
Other options may be IoT-based lawn mowers or smart agriculture sensors that require long battery life. By incorporating LoRa, they can reduce battery consumption. The company will release the new product commercially by July.
“Today I think that for the first time we’re enabling not only the range and low powers but also the ability to expand that with the higher data rate,” Feldman said. “That is so important for some of those microphones and camera use cases.”