Five Ways Antennas Help Make Your IoT Solution Sustainable

The Internet of Things (IoT) helps enable sustainability initiatives such as smart grids and smart cities. Here are five ways that the right antenna helps ensure that the IoT devices themselves are sustainable.

Wideband Antennas

The more cellular bands or GNSS frequencies that an antenna covers — such as 600 MHz to 6 GHz in the case of LTE/5G — the more likely it is to remain in service for a decade or longer instead of becoming obsolete and e-waste. A wideband cellular antenna also gives enterprises, smart cities, utilities, and other end users the long-term flexibility to change mobile operators, such as to get better coverage, better pricing, or access to a new air interface. That flexibility further reduces the need to replace antennas that are still in good operating condition. And in the case of embedded antennas, a wideband cellular antenna can help keep the entire device from becoming e-waste prematurely.

Some IoT applications involve equipment that’s initially used in one country or continent and then sold to another company, which moves it to another region. A wideband cellular antenna helps ensure that its IoT device doesn’t have to be scrapped and replaced as part of that relocation. If the application also uses GNSS, choose an antenna capable of covering multiple constellations, such as GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. (For more insights, see “GNSS Constellations: Exploring GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, NavIC, and QZSS.”)

The radio module ultimately determines which cellular bands and GNSS frequencies the solution can use, but pairing it with a wideband antenna ensures that the module is never constrained by the antenna’s spectrum capabilities. And in the case of external antennas, the module can be swapped to add support for additional spectrum without needing to replace the wideband antennas — saving time and money and avoiding unnecessary e-waste.

Each mobile operator has its own set of performance requirements — measured in total radiated power (TRP) and total isotropic sensitivity (TIS) — that NB-IoT and Cat M1 devices must meet in order to use their networks. To maximize the service life for their IoT solutions, device OEMs can use pre-certification tests to verify that they meet multiple operator TRP and TIS specs in their target market, such as the three largest U.S. carriers. (To learn more about pre-certification, including how Taoglas engineering services can help, see “What’s New in Cellular Certification.”)

Non-Terrestrial Networks

Satellite-based Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) are rapidly becoming a viable way to support IoT applications in places where cellular coverage is spotty or unavailable, such as along rural highways and in remote areas such as oil fields. IoT designs that implement NTN capabilities today give customers the flexibility to add those networks tomorrow as their business strategy evolves — and without consigning their existing antennas to the scrap heap. (For a deeper dive, see “Combining Satellite and Cellular to Unlock New Business Opportunities.”)

Many of the NTN satellite bands are close enough to 4G and 5G spectrum that a single wideband antenna system can cover both technologies. That’s why modules that support both cellular and satellite have a single RF connector for the antenna.

Enclosures, Cables, and Connectors

Fleet management, asset tracking, air quality sensors, and pipeline valves are just a few examples of IoT applications where external antennas are subjected to temperature extremes, the sun’s heat and UV rays, rain, ice, dust, and vibration. Those environmental factors can ruin an antenna in just a few years.

To extend their lives — and avoid unnecessary e-waste in the process — pay close attention to the enclosure’s IP and IK specs when comparing antennas during the design stage. For example, an IP67-rated enclosure is verified to withstand up to 1 meter submersion for 30 minutes, while an IK08 rating means the antenna elements inside are protected against objects weighing up to 1.7 kg dropped from a height of 29.5 cm. (For more information, see “What Does an IP67 Rating Really Tell You about an Antenna’s Durability?” and “How IP and IK Ratings Measure Real-World Durability.”)

Some environments create unique requirements. One example is IoT devices aboard ships and oil platforms, where salt spray and seawater can wreak havoc on enclosures and the antenna elements inside. Focus on marine-grade products such as the Taoglas Neptune XAHP.30, a multi-constellation GNSS antenna whose enclosure is IP67-rated. Both its enclosure and antenna are designed to operate in temperatures between -40C and +85C without any performance degradation. (For more insights, see “GNSS for Marine and Maritime Applications.”)

And don’t overlook cables and connectors, which also can create unnecessary e-waste when they fail prematurely. The cable’s shield and jacket layers should be thick enough to protect the conductor, while the connectors should be ruggedized and, during manufacturing, tested to verify that they’re sealed tight against the cable ends. (For more insights, see “A Crash Course on RF Cables” and “What’s Inside is What Counts: Understanding Antenna Coaxial Cables.”)

Integration

Over the past several years, 3GPP standards have added capabilities designed to maximize device battery life. One example is LTE Cat M1, which uses Power Saving Mode (PSM) and extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX) to minimize power consumption.

The right antenna can take those capabilities to the next level. For example, an antenna with high efficiency can complement eDRX and PSM by enabling the transceiver to use less power to transmit a usable signal every time it wakes up. Longer battery life helps achieve sustainability goals because less greenhouse gases are required to recycle them and less natural resources need to be mined to manufacture new ones.

Careful integration also maximizes battery life. One example is impedance matching, which ensures that the antenna can broadcast all of the signal that the transmitter provides. If there’s mismatch, then some of the signal is reflected at the transmitter. This wastes battery life because the transmitter is using power that literally goes nowhere.

Manufacturer Standards and Policies

When comparing antenna suppliers, look for certifications that demonstrate a commitment to protecting the environment. Two examples are the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). For a comprehensive list of Taoglas’ certifications and declarations, visit https://www.taoglas.com/support-center/quality-standards-policies.

All of this is a lot to consider. Taoglas’ new AI-Powered Antenna Recommendation Engine makes it easy to narrow down the options based on IP and IK ratings, bands/frequencies, and air interfaces such as LTE, Wi-Fi, GNSS, and more. To get started, visit https://www.taoglas.com/ai-product-recommendation-engine.

Get in touch for orders or any queries: sales@rfdesign.co.za / +27 21 555 8400

Courtesy of Taoglas