Taoglas has outlined a redundancy-first approach to wireless system design in which cellular, Wi-Fi, GNSS, and non-terrestrial network (NTN) links are combined to improve connectivity resilience. The design principle is to avoid dependence on a single network, frequency band, air interface, or positioning source so that devices can continue operating when coverage is blocked, infrastructure fails, or signals are degraded by interference, jamming, or environmental conditions.
One approach is multi-network cellular connectivity. Mobile operators differ in site locations, spectrum holdings, and propagation characteristics, so a device can be designed to change operators when signal quality falls or a site becomes unavailable. Modern cellular modules may support many bands from around 600 MHz to 3.7 GHz and can use eSIMs provisioned for multiple operators. This architecture depends on a wideband antenna that can cover the required bands. Taoglas cites its TGX.45.A cross-polarized omnidirectional dipole antenna, which covers 400 MHz to 6 GHz and therefore spans LTE and 5G allocations through mid-band spectrum.
Redundancy can also be implemented across multiple air interfaces. A connected camera, for example, can use Wi-Fi as the primary link and switch to 4G or 5G if the WLAN becomes unavailable. A similar principle applies to cellular and NTN combinations. NTN systems use LEO, MEO, or GEO satellite constellations to extend connectivity into locations where terrestrial cellular coverage is weak or absent. This can support applications such as telematics for high-value cargo, where a device may need to report a door breach or geofence excursion from a remote highway or rail location. Adding NTN capability does not always require a completely separate antenna path. Taoglas notes that some LEO and 5G bands are close enough for a single antenna to support both, and some cellular-plus-satellite modules therefore use a single RF connector. This can simplify hardware integration while preserving a fallback path when terrestrial coverage is unavailable.
GNSS resilience can be improved through multi-constellation support. Because satellite navigation signals arrive at low power and can be affected by blockage, jamming, or spoofing, a receiver that supports multiple constellations can switch among available sources or compare positioning, navigation, and timing data for consistency. Taoglas also points to coverage differences between constellations as a reason to avoid GPS-only designs in applications operating at high latitudes, where GLONASS or Galileo may provide better satellite visibility.
The antenna system must support this broader connectivity architecture without becoming impractical to integrate. Taoglas uses its Patriot series as an example of a multi-function roof-mount enclosure. The 205 × 180 mm platform can accommodate up to 18 antenna elements for dual-band GNSS, secondary GNSS, 4G/5G cellular from 600 to 6000 MHz, Wi-Fi at 2.4, 5.8, and 7.1 GHz, SDARS at 2.3 GHz, and LMR/TETRA coverage from 380 to 400 MHz and 700 to 900 MHz.
The central design implication is that connectivity resilience is best treated as a system-level requirement early in development. Selecting modules, antennas, bands, and positioning sources together makes it possible to create devices that fail over between networks or constellations rather than losing service when a single communications path is disrupted.
Click here to learn more about Taoglas’ fault-tolerant connectivity design approach.
Courtesy of Taoglas
