U-blox products used in data logger for smart water metering platform

Switzerland-based U‑blox announced that its NINA‑B3 stand‑alone Bluetooth low energy modules and SARA‑R410M‑02B LTE‑M / NB‑IoT and EGPRS cellular module for LPWA (low power wide area) applications are being used in a data logger (pulse counter) for a smart water metering platform that relies on mesh networking to simplify deployment. This trial should help demonstrate why the adoption of mesh‑networked water meters in Australia can now be a reality.

The WaterLink SmartMESH water meter from WaterSynergy Group, an Australian company focusing on the management of water resources, uses mesh‑networking technology to connect a number of water meters to each other and to a cellular gateway. The mesh‑networking technology relies on hardware within the u‑blox NINA‑B3 module and a software stack developed by Wirepas, a company based in Finland providing wireless mesh network connectivity for massive IoT. 

The Wirepas Mesh software uses a decentralised architecture which improves robustness and efficiency throughout the network. This mesh stack is highly scalable, low power, and enables users to design devices that can form their own mesh networks. The resultant networks can access multiple gateways to ensure redundancy, and even automatically heal themselves if individual nodes, such as meters, routers, or gateways, drop out of service. 

SmartMESH water meters are security sealed and, thanks to the efficiency of the Wirepas protocol as integrated within the NINA‑B3 module, are expected to run for up to 15 years on the internal battery. The NINA‑B3 modules use 2.4 GHz frequency and an innovative internal antenna to establish robust communications, even in the most challenging RF environments.

Developing the SmartMESH product range demanded the integration of hardware, firmware, and application software from multiple sources. 

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SOURCE TELECOMPAPER

Taxonomy

• GPS
• Internet of Things (IoT)