• Energy Distribution Automation
• Cabinet controllers
• Digital signage/ information panels
• Security applications
• EV Chargers
• Vehicular monitoring and analytics
   

Also supported are environmental and custom sensors, and application gateways.

The IoT Edge Router is a hardware device that enables customers to securely connect a variety of sensors and actuators—including those that require legacy protocol support— across a common RF mesh network infrastructure using proven open standards and interfaces, and networking protocol support. This support includes a secure and standards based architecture for both IPv4 and IPv6 communications with Linux-based network-edge computing capability.

Whether connected devices are new or legacy, the IoT Edge Router provides the processing horsepower and new data sources customers need to more efficiently and effectively operate all of their resources. This allows customers to better connect, analyze, and transform their current business practices.

Working configuration scenarios

• Ipv4 modem replacement –  limited to the range of 192.168.16.2 – 127 for network IP devices.
• Ipv6 modem replacement – in configured iot prefix /64
• WAN mode (including Milli devices) - provides mesh data backhaul to back-office software
• Client mode - ethernet acts as DHCP client for desktop development with connection to the internet

Current known limitations

• No software watchdog available.
• No OTA snap updates
• No Factory reset
• No ability to update the kernel image
• No ability to provide automatic NIC FW updates (can only update NIC FW using ssh & manual update)
• No ability to change IoTR Edge Static IP address or the DHCP Range in Edge mode. IoTR will have IP address 192.168.16.1 and is limited to network device IP addresses in the range 192.168.16.2 – 127.
• Limited web portal configuration options
• Limited remote SSH Access
• Limited ability to switch networks – requires manual configuration
• Launching ssnmode.confstat application to change modes via different terminals may output unusable info. Also various keyboard input issues related to this application.
  • Alternate method to change mode if ssnmode.confstat is not performing as expected (due to keyboard or terminal display).
  • Edit /var/snap/ssnmode/current/iotrswitch.conf file and change the desired mode.
  • Then restart the service ($ sudo systemctl restart snap.ssnmode.ssnmode.service).

Key Benefits

UNIFIED NETWORK POWERS MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

Because network connectivity is the most critical element for critical IoT solutions, the IoT Edge Router’s open architecture supports multiple device types and applications running on a unified network. This enables device owners such as cities and utilities to leverage a common platform to streamline the implementation of their solutions, achieving immediate cost savings and reducing time to value for their initiatives.

Solution Diagram

FLEXIBILE CONNECTIVITY

The IoT Edge Router supports multiple interfaces, including Ethernet, USB and HDMI, enabling connectivity with a broad range of devices from a variety of vendors. This flexible connectivity model enables our customers to leverage the IoT Edge Router to build a multi-application platform that provides solutions for many of the challenges cities are facing today.

BACKWARDS COMPATABILITY

The IoT Edge Router delivers backwards compatibility with legacy communications protocols so cities and utilities can connect sensor and assets that are already deployed to the common network platform. The IoT Edge Router enables seamless interoperability between IPv4 and IPv6 devices, empowering cities to leverage existing smart city assets while also supporting new devices to ensure future-proof capability.

EXTENSIBILITY THROUGH PARTNER SOLUTIONS

The IoT Edge Router is designed with a standards-based architecture to support a variety of applications and devices from Itron and our solution partners. Itron partners have access to an SDK and development environment using Canonical’s Ubuntu Core, to enable sensors and edge applications on the Linux platform. This open approach gives developers the tools to develop innovative solutions that leverage the connectivity and performance of the IoT Edge Router. With the IoT Edge Router as the foundation, your network can evolve with the needs of your changing city.

NETWORK PERFORMANCE AND RESILIENCY

The IoT Edge Router supports data transfer rates from 100 kbps to 300 kbps, delivers application performance, and enables devices to dynamically optimize for both range and performance. This extends network range while also reinforcing the strength and resilience of the citywide connectivity fabric.

CELLULAR ALTERNATIVE WITH GUARANTEED PERFORMANCE

The IoT Edge Router can serve as a replacement for cellular modems that transport data from city assets, while improving “best effort” reliability. Whatever your connectivity requirements, Itron will work with you to define a solution plan with performance backed by stringent SLAs.

DISTRIBUTED INTELLIGENCE

The performance and distributed intelligence capabilities of the IoT Edge Router enable innovative applications that require localized processing and control of smart city devices. Analyzing data and executing application commands at the network edge significantly reduces the bandwidth needed to communicate with a central application server, while also lowering the cost of backhaul communications.

Deployment Scenarios

The IoT Edge Router not only supports a variety of use cases, it enables cities, utilities and other critical IoT customers to leverage a common network platform for multiple applications and multiple project owners within their service territories. The IoT Edge Router eliminates the need for single-purpose networks for each application, department or entity. For example, a city can host lighting services for schools, hospitals, business and industrial parks, shopping centers, entertainment venues, homeowner associations, and microgrids. The mesh architecture also grows more resilient with the addition of new endpoints, so leveraging the IoT Edge Router for multi-application networks reduces costs and improves performance of the network for all users.

Multi-application implementations can be invaluable to city planners, public works departments, traffic engineers and police departments. Compound projects that involve multiple device types, such as such as coordinated traffic and metered on-ramp signaling, can leverage the IoT Edge Router’s distributed intelligence capabilities to improve operational efficiencies.

Data from multiple sources providing information about road conditions, traffic volumes, and accidents and other emergency situations can be applied  to dynamically optimize traffic-related applications. For example, levels of service (LOS) distributed processing capabilities for traffic calculations (for vehicles primarily, but also including pedestrian and bicycle transit through “enhanced LOS”) are generally done using on site personnel and location-specific counter hardware. With intelligent sensors, the data can instead be collected based on in pavement loop and pedestrian crossing button actuation rates, and computer based analysis of camera fed images. Traffic cameras can also connect through the IoT Edge Router for monitoring and improving traffic congestion, reducing CO2 emissions as an added benefit.

STREET LIGHTING, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND TRAFFIC MONITORING

Use the IoT Edge Router to connect smart street lighting controllers that turn lights on and off, and set dimming levels. By pairing street light controls with IP cameras, acoustic sensors, and environmental sensors, cities can automatically increase lighting during high traffic events, leveraging information from the connected devices, all handled dynamically at the network edge.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

Use the IoT Edge Router for connecting electronic displays—such as those for AMBER alert signs, bus stops, information kiosks, parking garages, and bike-rental and EV charging stations—and for display programming and control. These services need not be limited to cities, as commercial interests can be served as well.

IMAGE SENSING

Use the IoT Edge Router to connect video sensors that can be used for parking, security, surveillance, queue management and accident investigation applications. No full-time streaming is required (although on-demand video downloading is possible), and edge processing and event notification can be handled using on board recording and processing. These implementations can be invaluable to city police departments, for example, but can also be used for a variety of commercial applications.