Defanging the IoT Protocol and Antenna Dilemma

• Published in: Appliance Design Vol. 67; no. 4; pp. 12 - 14
• Main Author: Miller, Mark
• Format: Trade Publication Article
• Language: English
• Published: Troy BNP Media 01-04-2019
• Subjects: Antennas; Appliances; Automation; Design; Digital media; HVAC equipment; Industrial design; Internet; Light emitting diodes; Microwaves; Product lines; Protocol; Protocol (computers); Signal quality; Wide area networks; Wireless access points; Wireless communications; Wireless networks
• ISSN: 1552-5937; 2328-1219

While a refrigerator provides a nice home for a small computer, high-resolution display, and the high-speed internet connectivity provided by Wi-Fi, high data rates aren't needed in a microwave oven or dishwasher as the amount of transferred data is minuscule so even very low data rates are acceptable. [...]a full-up "smart" home will also include LED lighting, cameras, HVAC controllers, and other things that support different wireless protocols, all or most of which share the same low-power, low-data-rate requirements, and require mesh networking capability. Wi-Fi is not part of the mesh network that serves most of the sensors and other connected devices, such as an appliance, entertainment system, or other product requiring it, so high speeds and signal quality must be achieved by directly connecting from the product to the router without the benefit of the "stepping stones" provided by nearby nodes. [...]although some types of connected products (like TVs and streaming devices) have been available for years, seamless, high-performance home automation systems and families of connected appliances have not.