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The last few years have seen an explosion in
Internet of Things (IoT) devices and connected
products such as wireless sensors, smart meters,
home automation systems, and wearables. The
lowered cost of components such as sensors
and processors along with increasing wireless
connectivity has resulted in many products being
made "smart" and able to communicate with each
other without human intervention. Successful
products must meet often competing requirements
including low power consumption, long wireless
connectivity ranges, and higher processing power.
This paper explores how ARM
®
-based wireless
microcontrollers can meet the most demanding
requirements of IoT systems.
IoT Sensor Node Requirements
The network topology of IoT systems is comprised of simple
nodes that collect and transmit a limited amount of data to
a central controller or gateway which provides connectivity to
the Internet and cloud services. Nodes and gateways must be
designed to minimize power consumption, provide reliable and
robust network connections, and extend wireless connectivity
range as far as possible.
At the heart of IoT systems is a processor unit or microcontroller
(MCU) that processes data and runs software stacks interfaced
to a wireless device for connectivity. Requirements for both the
MCU and wireless device are specific to the end application and
system requirements. Advanced IoT sensor nodes consolidate
Typical Wireless Metering Architecture
Internet of Things System Design with
Integrated Wireless MCUs
By Kavita Char, Senior Product Manager, Silicon Labs
