Internet of Things
CentraleSupélec
Ingénierie des Systèmes Informatiques Ouverts
Feb. 4th, 2020

About us
• Judith Kreyder
• University Programs Manager
• judith.kreyder@sigfox.com
• Nicolas Lesconnec
• Head of Technology Adoption
• nicolas.lesconnec@sigfox.com

Agenda
• A few words about IoT
• Sigfox in a nutshell
• Use case example
• Deep dive in the technology
• Hands on workshop
• Industry usecases overview

Internet of Things
1995 20071983 2019

Internet of Things
• IoT is not restricted to computers
• Can be anything, anywhere
• No need for user interaction
• Full autonomy

Building the future

• IoT is taking off now (25B connected things by 2021 – Gartner)
• Global impact, on all businesses
• Shortage of professionals, with Technology and Business expertise
• Data collection : sensors, edge computing
• Data valorisation : AI, predictive maintenance
Opportunities for pioneers

Reliable data
• Live information
• No human error (measure, input)
• Structured, easy to associate with Data Analysis
platforms, feed AI models, …

Unexplored data mine
Internet has
demonstrated the
value of data
The volume of
sensor-based data
we can extract from
objects is much
larger
IoT aims at providing
the means to
customers
to extract value from
data generated
in the physical world
MARKET PAIN POINT SIGFOX DISRUPTIVE VALUE PROPOSITON

About Sigfox

SIGFOX is the world’s largest 0G Network…
IoT
Bringing the 4th
industrial revolution to all sectors
BACK-UP BROADBAND
Secondary connectivity & additional services for systems
using broadband networks
0G
Cost
efficient
Low
Power
Global
Network
…built as the most reliable and affordable
network to transmit small messages

The 0G message journey
A network for connected objects transporting the data from your device to your IT systems
Customer ITBig Data
analytics
platforms
Object data
Partners with
specific
applications for
your business
Data storage
and intelligence
for verticals
Identification and
authentication
integrity
0 to 12-byte
messages
optimized for
sensor data
High capacity
network: over 1
million messages
per Base station
per day
0 to 140
messages per day
per device
Transmitted
through its radio
protocol on the
public spectrum
Global
network
SIGFOX
cloud

Usecase : supply chain

Usecase : packaging supply chain

17
Track automotive
packaging to optimize
logistic loop & usage
Track parts within and out of
manufacturing sites
between Airbus and its
suppliers.
Track containers to reduce
lead times and stocks
REDUCE
CAPEX
REDUCE
OPEX
INCREASE
ETA
ACCURACY
REDUCE
HANDLING
COST
INCREASE
USAGE
REDUCE
INVENTORY
INCREASE
ETA
ACCURACY
REDUCE
RISK OOS

Zoom on a business case
Intercontinental sea-freight tracking solution

Supply chain managers are blind
on part of their flows

Applied to the supply chain, IoT acts as magic
glasses with the ability to remove the fog.

21
• Complexity to get information all
along the way.
• Strong dependency on shipping
companies
• Several days of latency on getting
notifications regarding events during
the flow.
• No real time: Outdated or no alerts in
case of delays.
1 expedition=28 stakeholders = 200 interactions
Initial thought – data generated from the monitoring of
intercontinental flows can be improved.

T/SPORT PORT
Export zone logistics Intercontinental logistics Import zone logistics
WH WH
• A tracker is
added to
the shipment
• Access to a platform
enabling to follow
orders
• The tracker
is taken out of
the container at
unloading
• Trackers are
sent back to be
reused
Container
loading
Shipment follow-up
Container
unloading
Trackers reverse
Generate an end to end visibility and real time
data on intercontinental shipping.
Complete disintermediation
Send data
when/where it
makes sense

IoT for the supply chain
• Data visibility
• Traceability
• Identify & tackle hidden costs
• Learn, Monitor & Anticipate

Coverage

Global network
• Sigfox is offering a global network
• Devices will work the same all over the network, no
matter where they were registered first

Deployment model
• All deployments aims to achieve a nationwide coverage
quickly
• Low density of access points : metropolitan France is covered
with 2200 stations
• Low cost of base stations + Small number = Low CAPEX &
Low OPEX = Low subscription costs

Densification
• Micro base stations available for sale online (400€), to
extend coverage if needed (remote areas, deep indoor, ..)

What we can’t do (with Sigfox only)
• Devices who need a huge number of messages ( ATM, POS etc)
• Important payloads ( Camera, videos, etc)
• Device you need to wake up remotely instantly ( garage doors)
29

What Sigfox is perfect for
• Devices who travel across countries
• Multiple years battery life devices
• Asset tracking
• Sensors data monitoring
• Security use cases ( as a backup)
• Agriculture
• Etc.
30

Small & optimized messages
Uplink messages Downlink messages
Note:
Change configuration (2^64 = 4B possibilities)
Adjust sensor scale
Adjust sampling frequency
Request additional data

Small messages
1 % duty cycle for Objects
Up to 6 messages/hour
UPLINK
12-Byte payload
- Sensor data
- Event status
- GPS fix
- Application data
DOWNLINK
8-Byte payload
- Action / actuator trigger
- Device management
- Application parameter setting
10 % duty cycle for Base Stations
4 guaranteed downlink msg/day
SIGFOX
CLOUD

Radio Spectrum

Ultra Narrow Band
868.0 868.2
f (MHz)
192 KHz wide
100 Hz
Currently spreads on a 200KHz part of the spectrum
High spectrum efficiency 1bit/s = 1Hz of bandwidth
Each message is ~100Hz wide
✓
✓
✓

Ultra Narrow Band
Each repetition is 100hz wide

Demonstration

Random Access
Unsynchronized transmission between the network and the device
The device transfers a small amount of energy on a random frequency with no protocol
overhead (frequency hopping)
SIGFOX Base stations permanently listen to the spectrum and interpret received UNB signals
The same frame is sent 3 times enabling time and frequency diversity
Frame1 @F1
Frame2 @F2
Frame3 @F3
Uplink message
t1
t2
t3
2.08s for 12B payload
Frequency
Time
✓
✓
✓
✓

High Network Capacity
0.00%
25.00%
50.00%
75.00%
100.00%
125.00%
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Success rate vs. input load
Pure non-slotted Aloha w/ spatial div. w/ repetitionsIndoor penetration
Nb of messages / station
>1M
other wireless
technologies
UNB
Frequency &
Time diversity
Spatial
diversity
+ + = Massive capacity &
High Quality of Service

Bi-directional communication
Requested by the device to the network
Static downlink message size of 8 bytes
Agreed frequency of downlink
✓
✓
✓

High Energy Efficiency
Designed to maximize energy
efficiency
No Pairing
10 to 50mA during a few
seconds (25mW; 14dB)
depending on the chip and
the size of the payload
Idle consumption: negligible
Idle state
Communication state
6 µA
30 mA
Current
Time
~6 sec
99.x% of the time
✓
✓
✓
✓

42
SDR cognitive spectrum monitoring overcome the complexity on the device side, generally using expensive
TCXOs
Data is relayed to the network back-end. Latency is lower than 5 seconds for 90% of the exception reports
Base stations also ensure SDR simultaneous multi-carrier transmissions to terminals enabled with the UNB
bidirectional feature
✓
✓
✓
Flat architecture

Protocol specification
The full Sigfox device radio specifications are available online:
https://build.sigfox.com/sigfox-device-radio-specifications

Uplink frame

Security

Security

Strong Security Mechanisms

Build a product

Lots of devices, but not that different

What does a device look like ?
• Usually quite the same thing inside !
• Casing
• Battery
• Sensors
• Microcontroller
• Sigfox Modem
• Antenna

Module
• Sigfox is not a hardware vendor
• Stack is free for semiconductors & module makers
• Components sourcing from multiple partners

Antenna:
THE most important part
• PLAN IT WHILE DOING YOUR PCB
• Balance between design & perf
• Depends on the use case
• Target best radio performance
• Hire an antenna guy if you need so
• https://build.sigfox.com/antennas
5
3

• Lots of providers off the shelves (Molex, Pulse, Linx..)
• Can do your own
• All depends what you have & need!
• Sens’it antenna: Open source design

Antennas ( small feedback)
5
5
Antenna Price Size Integration Perf u0 possible ?
External YES
Internal wire YES
Ceramics NO
PCB printed YES

Batteries
• Sigfox predictability.
1 message = X uAh
• Different types of batteries =
Different Use Cases
Coin cell: short lifetime
Can work with extra (super)-
capacitor circuit
Prefer multiple smaller
batteries over a big one

Cloud

Get your data
• View messages : Sigfox web platform
• Get messages : REST API (pull)
• Receive new messages : HTTP Callbacks (push)

Callbacks
• Each message received from your devices will be forwarded to your
application server(s)
• Fully customizable HTTP requests
• Used to send data back to the device as well
• Easy integration with major Cloud solutions :
• AWS, MS Azure, IBM, SAP, theThings.io, Thingworx, …

Sigfox integrates with Azure IoT hub natively
Sigfox <=> Microsoft cloud-to-cloud integration
Each message sent from Sigfox devices having
an Azure subscription is automatically
forwarded
to Microsoft IoT hub
2-ways native connector at Sigfox
back-end level

AWS IoT
AWS Cloud
Sigfox integrates with AWS IoT natively
AWS-sigfox connector uses AWS CloudFormation
to manage Identity and Authentication
Rules Engine allows to route sigfox messages to
other AWS services

63
Some Platform Partners
Storage, Analytics &
Device management
Smart building
Logistics
Smart Cities
Agriculture
Utilities
Industry

Geolocation
services

What do you need ?
• Expected precision
• Admissible extra cost
• Indoor, Outdoor

Sigfox Geolocation services
• 100% network based : kilometric precision
• Wifi-based : highly precise geolocation
• 2019 : Sigfox Bubble

Build your own
• High precision + outdoor : GPS (💸 + 🔋)
• Indoor : Wifi and/or Bluetooth (complexity)

Thank you!
Email me:
nicolas.lesconnec@sigfox.com
Join the conversation on Slack:
https://builders.iotagency.sigfox.com