Summary of the technology
The invention consists in a communications system to send/receive small data blocks (700 bytes maximum) between a base station and a set of Wi-Fi® interfaces without any active data link (active Wi-Fi® network connection). A base station has a coverage area between 12 km2 and 27 km2 without obstacles.
The system provides broadcasting and unicasting communication modes and reduces the power consumption of Wi-Fi® interfaces as it does not require an active Wi-Fi® connection.
The technology can be used in applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) in order to interchange data between sensors and Internet using a single Internet connection in the base station.
Description of the technology
Nowadays, there are several technologies to solve communication problems between IoT sensors and Internet. These technologies are mainly:
1. Low power and wide area solutions (LoRaWAN, SigFox, 3G/UMTS) with expensive network interfaces for sensors.
2. Wi-Fi® solutions using low cost network interfaces for sensors, but with high power consumption and low range distance (100 meters).
The invented technology improves Wi-Fi® communicatios for the IoT, increasing range distance and reducing energy consumption using standar Wi-Fi® chipsets.
The technology has developed a software method to send/receive data between a base station and sensors using standar Wi-Fi® interfaces. The Wi-Fi® interfaces do not need any connection to standard Access Points (APs) nor IP addresses.
The system consists in two elements:
• A base station with two interfaces:
o One Wi-Fi® interface to send/receive data to/from sensors in a wide area.
o One Internet connection interface (Ethernet/UMTS) to interchange data between sensors and any IP address in Internet.
• Software installed in sensors to use Wi-Fi® interfaces to send/receive data to/from a base station without any active data link.
Current development status
Laboratory prototypes
Applications
The technology can be applied in IoT solutions where there is the need to use low power and wide area Wi-Fi® communications with sensors. For example: • Sensor deployments for agriculture applications (smart farms). • Sensor deployments for big infrastructures (stadiums, bridges, sea ports, etc.) • Sensor deployments in areas with no coverage of mobile data service (GSM/UMTS) like forests, high mountain or sea.
Desired business relationship
Patent licensing
Intellectual property status
Patent already applied for
P201630175
Spain
Technology Owner
Universidad de Alicante
Research & Technology Organization
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