Tag and Server Communication
This tutorial is aimed at customers who need to transmit tag data to a server using alternative methods. Through this tutorial, users can learn about the principles and applicable scenarios of various transmission solutions, enabling them to find the optimal solution for their projects.
Overview
uBeacon typically require real-time monitoring of tag location information. However, due to the limited coverage of UWB gateways, relying solely on them for data transmission will significantly increase the density of gateway deployment, leading to higher equipment and maintenance costs.Therefore, alternative wireless solutions can be chosen to replace UWB transmission. Common wireless options include LoRa, cellular networks (4G Cat.x, 5G Cat.1), and others.
LoRa
LoRa is a long-range wireless communication technology characterized by low power consumption, long communication distances, and strong anti-interference capabilities. It can cover communication ranges of several kilometers, but its data rate is relatively low, typically less than 20 kbps.
By simply adding a LoRa node at the tag and deploying a LoRa gateway at the host, real-time data transmission can be achieved. With one LoRa gateway covering several kilometers, this greatly reduces the density of gateway deployment while low power consumption ensures longer battery life for the tags.
- Hardware Preparation: Choose a suitable LoRa node and connect it to the tag.
- Link Configuration: Configure the network and parameters for the LoRa gateway and nodes to ensure proper communication.
- Host Preparation: Connect the LoRa host to the backend server, ensuring the host can communicate normally with the backend.
- Data Acquisition: Users can retrieve tag positioning data through the backend server.
4G Cat.1
4G Cat.1 is a wide-area communication technology based on cellular networks, primarily used in the IoT field, with an uplink transmission rate of 5 Mbps. Data is transmitted directly to ECS(Elastic Compute Service)via the cellular network.
When using 4G Cat.1 as a transmission solution, there is no need for additional gateways, as tag positioning data can be accessed directly through the ECS, making it very convenient. However, each tag requires an additional connection to a 4G Cat.1 node, which incurs data costs during communication and has relatively high power consumption.
- Hardware Preparation: Choose a suitable 4G Cat.1 module and connect it to the tag.
- Network Connection: Activate the SIM card and configure the APN, username, and password to enable the module to access the mobile network.
- Connect to ECS: Establish a connection between the module and the ECS, typically using HTTP, MQTT, or other protocols.
- Data Reporting: Tag positioning data is reported to the ECS via Cat.1.
- Data Retrieval: Users can access tag positioning data by visiting the ECS.