IoT/IIoT
End to End
Over the past decade, the world has witnessed an unprecedented boom in the number of Internet of Things (IoT)devices. From smart thermostats and fitness trackers to connected refrigerators and industrial sensors that include everything from production floor management to Smart Grid applications, IoT devices are rapidly transforming how we interact with the world around us. Some of the use cases for IoT devices are consumer electronics, healthcare, agriculture, transportation (public and private), power grid management and manufacturing.
While consumer IoT devices are gaining traction, industrial IoT (IIoT) is arguably the most transformative application of this technology. Industry 4.0—the term used to describe the fourth industrial revolution—relies heavily on the use of IoT to improve manufacturing, logistics, and other industrial operations.
We are fortunate to a diverse team of subject matter experts that have a deep understanding of the subsystems that make up the modern IoT/IIoT ecosystem.
To truly understand the IoT/IIoT ecosystem, it must be broken down into its elemental parts. The key elements of an IoT device include:
1.) Sensors to collect data (Pressure, Temperature, Humidity, Image, Inertial, Gyroscope, Touch)
2.) A connectivity mechanism to transmit data over a network (Wired, Wireless)
3.) A processing unit to analyze the data (MPU. MCU, SoC)
4.) A gateway to manage communication with the cloud (Wired, Wireless)
5.) A cloud platform to store and analyze the collected data
Essentially, the device itself, its connectivity, and the cloud infrastructure to manage the data it generates. Several subcategories are critical to the IoT/IIoT device functioning in the ecosystem:
1.) Security: Protecting devices and networks from threats (Network, API, Encryption, Authentication)
2.) Data services: Providing tools for analyzing data from sensors (Collection, Storage, Analysis, Visualization)
3.) Cloud connectivity: Helping devices connect to the cloud (Cellular, Bluetooth, LAN)
4.) Device management: Helping developers manage and distribute updates to devices (Firmware Updates)
Our team has analyzed all of these elements in one way or another to help our clients generate patents and/or claim charts. Our internal lab has been a critical addition to our ability to document the functionality of these disparate systems.
Each one of the core use cases for IoT/IIoT devices has unique challenges to documenting evidence of use. For instance, automotive IoT/IIoT systems are incredibly complex. Once removed from a vehicle, these units are rendered non-functional for reasons of theft deterrence. It has taken us years to develop custom test equipment and methodologies to observe these systems in a functioning environment.
None of this would be possible without the incredible talent of our subject matter experts. Each project requires modifications or critical thinking to discover and observe the data we seek. Another advantage is our relationship with our test equipment providers. It would be much more complex and time-consuming to develop these test systems without their help. We are fortunate to have direct access to the top engineering talent from Rhode and Schwarz and Anritsu.