IOT ARCHITECTURES

Lect. 2
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IOT STACK

IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia

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PHYSICAL THINGS
• The Internet of Things is rarely discussed without the
conversation steering to data and the new Data Economy.
• The intelligence and value from IoT systems is based on what
can be learned by studying data. The fundamental source of IoT
data is sensors.
• Driven by new innovations in materials and nanotechnology,
sensor technology is developing at a never before seen pace,
with a result of increased accuracy, decreased size and cost,
and the ability to measure or detect things that weren’t
previously possible.
• In fact, sensing technology is developing so rapidly and
becoming so advanced that we will see a trillion new sensors
deployed annually within a few years
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SENSORS AND ACTUATORS

• A better term for a sensor is a transducer. A transducer is any physical device that converts one

form of energy into another. So, in the case of a sensor, the transducer converts some physical

phenomenon into an electrical impulse that can then be interpreted to determine a reading.

• A microphone is a sensor that takes vibrational energy (sound waves), and converts it to

electrical energy in a useful way for other components in the system to correlate back to the

original sound.

• Another type of transducer that you will encounter in many IoT systems is an actuator

• In simple terms, an actuator operates in the reverse direction of a sensor.

• It takes an electrical input and turns it into physical action. For instance, an electric motor,

a hydraulic system, and a pneumatic system are all different types of actuators.

• In typical IoT systems, a sensor may collect information and route to a control center where a

decision is made and a corresponding command is sent back to an actuator in response to that

sensed input.
IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia
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SENSORS AND ACTUATORS

IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia

 SENSORS 6

• There are many different types of sensors. Flow sensors,

temperature sensors, voltage sensors, humidity sensors, and the
list goes on.
• In addition, there are multiple ways to measure the same thing.
For instance, airflow might be measured by using a small
propeller like the one you would see on a weather station.
• Different applications call for different ways of measuring the
same thing
• The Importance of Accurate Sensors
• Once the correlation is well known, a protocol can be
developed to always assure the sensor is reading correctly.
This is called calibration. Reputable manufacturers will
deliver fully calibrated devices and provide instruction on
how to recalibrate to verify sensor accuracy.
• The accuracy of sensed data is paramount, since you will make
mission-critical decisions based on later analysis of the
data, which will hold little
IoT things presentation value if the data is wrong.
- Davis M Onsakia
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THE CONTROL SYSTEM

• Your IoT device, may be smaller than a coin or larger than a
refrigerator. It may perform a simple sensing function and send raw
data back to a control center.
• It may combine data from many sensors, perform local data analysis,
and then take action.
• Additionally, your device could be remote and standalone or be co-
located within a larger system.
• Regardless of the function, environment, or location, your IoT
device requires two components, a brain and connectivity. The
“brain” provides local control (or decision-making). Your device’s
function will determine the size and capabilities of the brain
component.
• Connectivity is needed to communicate with external control.
• The environment and location of your device will determine how it
connects.
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THE “BRAIN” OF THE IOT

DEVICE
• The IoT device will most likely use a microcontroller as its brain. Think of a
microcontroller as a small computer with a microprocessor core, memory, and
input/output (I/O) ports.
• The microprocessor core of your microcontroller is a central processing unit. It
handles all the number crunching and local data manipulation and decision-
making.
• The memory includes Read Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory
(RAM).
• ROM stores the microcontroller’s software program.
• RAM stores and receives data while also supporting number crunching.
• The final microcontroller component and the I/O ports, may be either digital or
analog.
• The input ports collect data from sensors. While the outputs support any
necessary actuation or local control in the IoT device.
IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia
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THE “BRAIN” OF THE IOT

DEVICE
• Usually, microcontrollers control various devices or subsystems within
embedded applications.
• By integrating the microprocessor, memory, and input/outputs,
microcontrollers reduce cost and make development easier. This makes it
more affordable and less complicated to control many IoT devices.

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MICROCONTROLLER CHOICE ASPECTS

• To determine which microcontroller to use for an IoT application, you first need
to understand a few basic specifications:
• Microprocessor Type (“Brain”)
• How fast your brain needs to think (clock speed) and how much information it can
handle (data I/O bus size) determines the microprocessor type.
• Depending on your application, you may have a very simple microprocessor or a much
faster, bigger, power hungry one.
Source:
• While you don’t need to be an expert on microprocessors, you should https://interne
have an idea
of what you want it to be able to do. tofthingsagen
• Amount of Memory da.techtarget.
com/definition
• ROM “stores” your application program in the microcontroller. The size of the
/Internet-of-Thi
program is a function of the complexity. RAM performs two functions:ngs-IoT It reads and
writes data for file storage, and it holds data waiting for processing by the
microprocessor.
• An important distinction between ROM and RAM is volatility. ROM is non-volatile,
meaning that the data remains stored with or without power. RAM is volatile,
meaning it may lose data if it is without power.
• This is an important factor
IoT things for
presentation IoTM Onsakia
- Davis devices which may be prone to an interruption
of the power supply.
 MICROCONTROLLER CHOICE ASPECTS
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• Operating Voltage and Current

• The device needs adequate voltage to support its sensors and power sources. If a device is
part of a larger system, it may use a local output voltage.
• Generally, sensor and battery technologies operate within a compatible voltage range. You
will need higher output currents if you need control or activation (such as operating a
motor).
• Number and Type of Input/output (I/O) Ports
• The I/O ports are the connection to your device sensors and actuators. There may be few, or
many, depending on the application. The ports may act as inputs from sensor to device, as
outputs from device to sensor (or actuator), or both.
• As mentioned above, I/O ports may be digital or analog. Digital ports are for simple logic,
or yes/no type input. Examples include, closing a switch, tripping a wire, presenting/not
presenting something.
• When acting as an output, a digital port may turn something on or off.
• Analog ports are for continuous input/output like a temperature or speed. Keep in mind;
Microcontrollers are digital devices so signals moving in and out must also be in digital
format. Inputs from analog sensors use an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The purpose of
the ADC is to convert data into a format that is usable by the microcontroller.
• Once you define your IoT device application, you can determine the type and number of I/O
ports you need.

IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia

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ASPECTS
• Control Interface
• A control interface is a protocol allowing peripheral devices
and the
microcontroller to communicate with one another.
• Depending on the application, you may need a specific control
interface. There are different ways the interface may
facilitate communication.
• It may use an inter-integrated circuit (I2C), a serial
peripheral interface (SPI), or a controller area network (CAN)
communications protocol.
• While you do not need to know technical details about these,
you do need to know which protocols your system requires.
• Those will determine if you need a control interface and how
that interface should communicate.
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ANATOMY OF A THING

IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia

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POWERING THE IOT SYSTEM

• The size of an IoT device can range from tiny to very large.
It might perform a single, simple function, or have complex
on-board intelligence.
• It may transfer byte-sized data over short range radio-
frequency identification (RFID). Or, it may transfer high
bandwidth streams of data over long distance cellular.
• The IoT device may be in a fixed or varying location, and it
may or may not be easy to access.
• Despite the many differences, there is one common requirement
for all device systems. They must have power (energy or
electricity) to operate.

IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia

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• Three common options to power IoT Devices:

• Mains Electricity
• For many applications, you may only need to plug in the connected device.
• Home automation applications, such as connected light bulbs, can draw energy
from existing wiring in the home. Industrial applications are often fixed-
location devices, hardwired to a power grid.
• Batteries
• Found in everything from wearables to tools, batteries are a common solution
for portable IoT devices. Your application will determine if it makes sense to
use rechargeable or one-time use (primary) batteries.
• [Note: A capacitor is another energy storage and delivery device. It has
different technical characteristics but, for now, we’ll consider it the same
as a battery.]
• Harvesting
• Several approaches for converting energy from ambient forms into electricity
are becoming popular. Solar cells, converting light to electricity, are most
common. It is also possible to convert air and fluid flow, heat, motion, RF
and chemical energy to electricity.
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END

Thanks for listening

IoT things presentation - Davis M Onsakia