RPMA

What is RPMA?

RPMA is a low‑power wide‑area (LPWA) channel access method that utilizes the unlicensed, globally available 2.4 GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band. This means that one radio module can serve applications around the world, providing the scale and cost benefits that enable customers to profitably bring IoT solutions to market.

With autonomous adaptation, the Machine Network delivers interference‑free operation and the best performance and reliability in real‑world applications. Ingenu’s patented RPMA technology offers significant advantages to a great variety of IoT applications, such as excellent in‑building range and AES 128‑bit security encryption.

Featuring download speeds of 31 kb/s and upload speeds of 15.6 kb/s, it is ideally suited for the needs of many IoT applications, which rely on technical specs other than data speed to achieve their performance targets. Key features include:

• Excellent extended in‑building range
• Low power consumption
• Stand‑alone broadcast channel for rapid firmware updates
• Private or public networks

With a Maximum Coupling Loss (MCL) of 167 dB, RPMA performs similarly to Narrowband IoT (NB‑IoT) with signals able to reach deep into buildings and underground. It also features battery lifetimes of 10+ years on a single charge, depending on use case. This means it is ideal for devices that need to be positioned in remote locations or difficult‑to‑reach spaces and that are not attached to the power grid.

RPMA has been deployed for the Machine Network, but can also be rolled out as a private network installation. It is highly suitable for regions, where the rollout of 3GPP LPWA technologies is lagging, where cellular coverage is generally weak, or where users would like to exert full control over their network deployments.

The Machine Network also features a stand‑alone broadcast channel for firmware updates. This broadcast channel is not limited by the network’s download speeds, and can deliver critical security patches rapidly to millions of connected devices at the same time.

The u‑blox position in the RPMA eco‑system

u‑blox and Ingenu have formed a strategic partnership, in which u‑blox develops and manufactures modules supporting RPMA technology. u‑blox chose to work with Ingenu because RPMA is similar in performance and reliability to established 3GPP technologies.

Key applications

Smart metering
RPMA is ideal for utility meters because they are often located within buildings or underground. Its extended in‑building range of 167 dB MCL is 27 dB greater than what GSM coverage could provide. Since meters are generally in use for long periods of time, the stand‑alone broadcast channel allows utilities to provide rapid firmware updates as needed to deployed devices.

Oil& gas
RPMA has been successfully deployed in the oil and gas industry for remote industrial control and the monitoring of pipelines. Since oil and gas installations can often be found in remote areas, they benefit greatly from RPMA’s extended range and operators’ ability to create a private network servicing exactly those locations that are needed.

Tracking
RPMA has the capacity to hand over connections from mobile devices and implementations, making it suitable for asset and personnel tracking. Since it operates in the globally available 2.4 GHz spectrum, it is feasible to use the same tracking device across multiple regions and network installations.

Agriculture
Due to its extended range and low power consumption, RPMA can also be used for land, pollution and precipitation monitoring. Monitoring devices can be deployed even in remote, off‑the‑grid locations, where they can provide locally captured sensor data over long periods of time.

Smart buildings
RPMA can easily provide basic building management functionality, such as HVAC, lighting and access control with its enhanced indoor range.