Location platforms white paper
How to select the right location platform for your IoT deployment
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Location data is essential to the value of countless IoT devices
Location platforms are fundamental to unlocking value across a range of IoT scenarios, from fleets and logistics to campuses and beyond. However, they are only valuable to the extent that the location data used is both accurate and timely. Accurate location status means that insights from devices can be qualified against their location and factors such as time-to-destination, cargo conditions, maintenance requirements and temperature, speed or vibration can all be communicated with a location context.
Inaccurate or invalid data can significantly decrease the quality of the solution and the value it brings. The principal challenge is therefore to select location platforms that meet the specific needs of the relevant use case. There are substantial differences for instance between the location data of assets, people and vehicles. An optimized blend of accuracy and coverage needs to be balanced with power consumption and cost to create an ideal location platform.
Location platforms have become valuable enablers for a growing variety of use cases. There are two main types of location platform: outdoor, which requires GNSS location, and indoor, which requires Wi-Fi location. Key use cases that span indoor and outdoor location include supply chain and logistics, location of high-value assets, tools and equipment, and cold chain monitoring.
The location technology used is an essential foundation for a location platform. The level of precision offered by GNSS and recent advances in techniques to correct errors mean that some GNSS receivers can now achieve cm-level accuracy. Such precision comes at a cost but for truly global location accuracy, GNSS is the only option. The nature of location information means that it doesn’t demand the highest possible throughput capability. It instead needs to be able to communicate ubiquitously and frequently at low cost.
There are several connectivity options for location platforms but the resource-constrained requirements of location devices mean LTE-M stands out as typically the best fit. LTE-M offers latency of 10-15 milliseconds which is ideal to support moving objects. And with power saving mode and discontinuous reception, batteries in LTE-M devices can have lifespans of over ten years. However, many applications don’t need full location precision and communication performance. Some use cases for instance need only indoor location capabilities. For example, Wi-Fi or even BLE beacons can handle movements of pallets within a warehouse.
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Location platform requirements differ significantly from use case to use case with varying levels of precision, coverage, power consumption and cost being acceptable. Common factors are present with device makers looking to ensure maximized lifespans and compact components for design flexibility. The ability to create global products with a single SKU is also a key priority.
But the landscape is complex and evolving. As NTNs proliferate for instance, many of the limitations of current satellite constellations will be addressed and will complement global coverage where there is no cellular coverage available. To learn more about how to select the right location platform for your IoT deployment, read our free new white paper, produced in collaboration with Sony.