How the LoRa sensor sends and receives the data

LoRa (remote) sensor wireless technology is making waves in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. This wireless technology can provide reliable connectivity from a long range, reaching up to 10 km in rural areas and up to 2 km in urban areas. With reliable data transmission through indoor spaces and underground structures, years-long battery life, and low operating costs, LoRa is expected to eliminate many of the connectivity and power challenges that hinder innovative IoT use cases.
 Given its strengths, it's no surprise that the industry predicts that LoRa will connect to the next 1 billion IoT devices. ABIResearch predicts that LoRa will account for more than half of all non-cellular LPWA connections, with the total likely close to 1.3 billion by 2026.

What is the LoRa sensor, for that purpose

LoRa sensors are wireless sensors that use LoRa communication technology to transmit sensor data to gateway and applications. These sensors have very low power consumption and can run for many years before they need to be replaced. Common measurements include temperature, humidity, air quality, water flow, soil moisture, vibration, etc.
 These sensors contain a microcontroller for obtaining the sensor reading, a LoRa radio for wireless communications, and a battery power supply. Data from the sensors is periodically transmitted to the central application and analysis platform via the LoRa network. Some of the common sensors integrated in the LoRa sensors include:

The DHT 11 temperature and humidity sensor

Ultrasonic object detection sensor

Photosensitivity- -ambient light sensor

The flame sensor detects the presence of a fire

The relay is used to control the equipment power supply

Buzzer sound alarm or warning

The LED visual indicator

 GPS module position positioning

These sensors can be connected to microcontroller boards supporting LoRa, such as Arduino or RaspberryPi, to collect and transmit sensor data.

 How the LoRa sensor transmits and receives the data through the LoRaWAN

LoRa sensor operates in LoRa network for efficient data transmission and reception using LoRaWAN protocol. LoRaWAN Is a cloud-based media access control (MAC) layer protocol, which mainly acts as a network layer protocol. We use LoRaWAN to manage the communication between the LoRa gateway and the LoRa sensor (node). It acts as a routing protocol and is maintained by the LoRa Alliance. The first version of LoRaWAN was released in 2015.
 In the LoRaWAN architecture, LoRa nodes, namely sensors equipped with the LoRa protocol, initiate asynchronous communication when there is data to be transmitted. This allows the LoRa network to trade off the sensitivity of data rate against fixed channel bandwidth. It mainly involves selecting the amount of spread frequency used, with optional parameters between 7 and 12. This extension factor determines the sensitivity and data rate of the LoRa nodes.
 Data transmitted by the LoRa node is received by multiple LoRa gateways that forward the received packets to a centralized network server (the IoT server). It filters out duplicate packets, manages the network, and performs security checks. Subsequently, the server sends the processed data to the application module, the control panel, or the connected smart device. In this way, the LoRaWAN protocol has high reliability and accuracy under moderate loads.
 In addition, the LoRaWAN protocol also uses forward error correction encoding to enhance the anti-interference ability of the network. The LoRa network has a high wireless link budget of about 155dB to 170dB for a wider variety of applications.

How to build a LoRa sensor network

 The device in the LoRa network consists of LoRa nodes (sensor devices), a LoRa gateway for relay messages, and a centralized LoRa network server. To use LoRa sensors, a comprehensive LoRa network setup is critical. Let's explore the key components in more detail:

 LoRa node: a sensor embedded in the wireless connection and LoRa protocol. It collects the sensor data and transmits it to the LoRa gateway.

 The LoRa gateway: acts as the central point to form the LoRa network. It wirelessly receives data from LoRa nodes via LoRa and forwards it to a cloud server via IP-based connections like Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular networks. The gateway also receives commands from the cloud and sends them to the LoRa terminal node. Usually, multiple gateways will receive the same node transmission, providing redundancy.

Cloud Server: A cloud server that receives and stores data from the LoRa Gateway. It provides access to data from multiple platforms, thus enabling scalability, as well as control over the performance and range of the LoRa sensors. It provides data access across a variety of platforms, providing the flexibility to expand and manage the performance and range of LoRa sensors. The cloud server also acts as a pipeline for sending commands from the control panel (smart device) to the LoRa node. In this case, the performance, range, or other parameters of the LoRa sensor in the LoRa network can be adjusted.
 This is the setup of a LoRa sensor in the LoRa network. The LoRa network can accommodate any number of LoRa sensors as required.

Benefits of using the LoRa sensor

LoRa technology stands out from disruptive technologies. It is not a vision of the future, but a reality that affects the world. Billions of LoRa and LoRaWAN sensors have been deployed in various iot implementations around the world, and that number is growing steadily. The LoRa sensors have made a significant contribution to the development of the intelligent world by using the LoRaWAN protocol. Here are some of the main benefits of the LoRa sensor:

remote connection

LoRa technology is known for its low power consumption and remote data communication capabilities. It provides reliable wireless connectivity for both underground and indoor sensors, up to 10 km in rural areas and 2 km in urban areas. This is essential for agricultural or water-metering purposes.

 Low power operation

By optimizing the sensor measurement frequency, sleep cycle, and LoRa link data rate, the LoRa sensor node can operate with a single battery for up to 10 years. Low power consumption is critical for remote agriculture, utility infrastructure, or tracking use cases. This also reduces the maintenance overhead.

capacity of resisting disturbance

LoRa uses linear FM spread frequency modulation to provide resistance to radio noise and interference. Forward error correction scheme provides signal robustness.

 Global ecosystem

oRaWAN Specification and related alliances provide an interoperable framework for a variety of public and dedicated LoRa network providers. The LoRa Alliance has more than 500 members, including 100 public network operators in more than 58 countries, and has an ecosystem that ensures global accessibility. With a network of more than 100 countries, LoRa solutions can be quickly deployed worldwide.

 General application

LoRa complements cellular, WiFi, Sigfox and other technologies for cost-and power-sensitive applications. This drives the adoption of smart cities, architecture, agriculture, logistics, and industrial scenarios.

Future applications of the LoRa sensor
LoRa sensors offer a wide range of possibilities that we can use for applications in multiple fields. Some potential applications of the LoRa sensor include:

 Smart agriculture

LoRa soil moisture sensors, light sensors, and moisture monitors help to optimize water use and growth conditions, thereby increasing crop yields. Enable location tracking for livestock health.

 Smart City

LoRa sensors transmit data on parking space availability, environmental monitoring parameters, and even bin status. Urban services centered around lighting and traffic monitoring take advantage of the technology. LoRa is also used for leak and structural health monitoring applications.

 Wise Information Technology of 120

The LoRa network can provide low-cost and reliable connectivity for medical asset tracking, drug / blood sample temperature monitoring, and health monitoring of elderly patients. IoT solutions based on LoRa sensors and gateways can help monitor high-risk patients around the clock.

 Intelligent industry monitoring

LoRa sensors have continuous monitoring that can benefit industrial operations. LoRa wireless sensors for temperature, vibration, pressure, and power consumption can help analyze the health status of factory equipment without expensive wiring. GPS-free positioning services can leverage an extended range to track high-value assets and containers throughout the industrial park.

 Smart utilities

Since meters are usually located indoors, underground, or in dense urban environments. This makes it difficult for most wireless technologies to reach these goals. Cities are introducing smart gas, electricity and water supply meters based on LoRa radio connections to remotely relay consumption data without manual inspection.

 Smart supply chain and logistics

LoRa sensors enable logistics and supply chains to more economically and easily track high-value assets in transportation. The remote and low power consumption of LoRa sensors makes the geolocation of vehicles and goods even easier. Trlets with impact or temperature sensors help determine the validity of improper handling and insurance claims.

 Alzheimer's disease patient tracing

LoRa technology wearable tracking devices can alert caregivers when Alzheimer's patients leave designated safe areas. This will help ensure all-weather security when unregulated. Longer battery life than BLE tags reduces maintenance effort.

 Smart home and architecture

LoRa sensors seamlessly transmit information about home and building dynamics. It pays close attention to energy use, HVAC functions and smart door and window sensors. In addition, LoRa extends to creating intelligent, connected living and working Spaces.