PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
Machine to Machine (M2M) communications means the automated or requested exchange of information among smart devices and/or control remote units without or with very limited human intervention. In a near future, where everything is web-connected, the need for remote control and query all the things around you will be the challenge. Therefore there an opportunity arises to considerably increase satellite M2M use provide that solutions are identified able to reduce hardware and service costs including low form factor and to provide greater standardization.
To this end, the M2M project was focused on the definition of the system scenarios and cost analysis, to come out with a specifically designed air interface (S-M2M), with a comprehensive analysis of the advantages of the proposed architecture aimed to optimize terminals cost and satellite resources. In this task Eutelsat joined the team as advisor.
In order to validate the new M2M standard, a real time hardware demonstrator has been implemented, including a complete M2M system, from the physical layer to application layers. The demonstrator includes gateway emulator, broadcast forward link, traffic and channel emulators and terminal prototypes.
Challenges
In order to increase satellite M2M use, solutions are needed to reduce terminal hardware and service costs including low form factor and to provide greater standardization.
From the air interface the challenges was:
– High efficiency modulation scheme, to minimize the service cost
– Low complexity access scheme, to minimize the terminal cost
From the terminal point of view the challenges was:
– Low power consumption, in order to include scenarios with battery powered terminals
– Low cost, to include scenarios with massive terminal deployment
– Precise frequency control, to avoid critical complexity in the gateway demodulator
Plan
The project has been divided in two phases.
During Phase 1, the project team has characterized the system scenarios, the optimal air interface, and the terminal cost analysis. Phase 1 has been articulated in four tasks:
Task 1: System Scenario Consolidation
Task 2: Air Interface Investigation and Selection
Task 3: Architectural Optimization and System Performance
Task 4: Preliminary Architecture Design and Specifications
During the Phase 2, the M2M modem demonstrator has been developed, integrated and tested. Phase 2 has been articulated in 5 tasks:
Task 5: Modem Prototype Preliminary Design
Task 6: Modem Prototype Detailed Design
Task 7: Test-Bed Development
Task 8: Test-Bed Integration
Task 9: Modem Validation and Test Campaign
Current Status
Completed
