Sub-GHz Band Communication Bridge Connecting TCP/IP Network

Abstract

Recently, low power wide area (LPWA) communication devices have attracted attention in the construction of wide area sensor networks. A type of LPWA device called a sub-GHz band communication device allows a 1-hop wide area communication system to have improved power consumption. However, a sub-GHz band communication system is not scalable due to the lack of compatibility with heterogeneous communication devices, such as WiFi and LTE. In this paper, we propose a sub-GHz band communication bridge that builds a cross-over communication system connecting a conventional TCP/IP network and LPWA network. The communication bridge enables scalable TCP/IP network services (e.g., HTTP) by transmitting an ethernet frame over an LPWA network. Through experiments using IM920, a dedicated device for 920 MHz band communication, we evaluated the performance and behavior of communication through TCP applications over a TCP/IP network and LPWA network connected by the proposed communication bridge.