Enquiry for a smart waste container
We have already developed many antennas for metal containers on GSM, UMTS, NB-IoT, LTE-M, LoRaWAN and Sigfox. For us the radio technology does not make a big difference. The akorIoT SensPRO is already a reference design for such a smart bin.
Request for the smart waste bin
Hi Harald,
Answer for the smart waste bin
Dear Paul,
Thank you for your email. Yes, the akorIoT SensPRO can solve your task and costs less than 200 Euro. The SensPRO can also be used to read the level in containers. The SensPRO has an expansion port for additional sensors or an ultrasonic sensor. This can be wired directly to the I2C bus, serial bus or GPIO. The SensPRO can be battery operated. The circuit is optimized for ultra low power and the block diagram is open. This allows you to create your own code with a free C complier on the MCU STM32ML431. The BG96 is already connected to the MCU. The GNSS module L76 as well. We have activated the GNSS in the BG96 and the L76. So you can test and compare both GNSS receivers.
The akorIoT SensPRO covers over 20 applications. We help the customer to create a custom copy or develop the custom version. There are 7 sensors on the SensPRO. You will not need a light sensor or temperature sensor for waste bins. GNSS is required, but both versions like SensPRO are not required. You only need the motion sensor when your bins are actually moving.
akorIoT SensPRO – NB-IoT , LTE-M, GPRS reference design
In all likelihood the antenna will be a custom version. 3 dB antenna gain more or less means 50% more or 50% less energy consumption with NB-IoT and LoRaWAN. The 5 year battery life then becomes 2.5 years or 10 years. In other words a good antenna halves the purchase price for the battery by 50%. In this case 20 USD becomes 10 USD. If the antenna is integrated in the motherboard, then the purchase price for the cellular antenna drops from 1.50 USD to 0 USD. The same is true for GNSS.
In the reference list in the link below you will find two companies with intelligent bins.
http://www.gsm-modem.de/M2M/antenna-test/lpwan-antenna-nb-iot-lte-gps-lora-sigfox/
For both we have developed the antennas. However, there are many more than two companies with containers whom we have served in the last years. We are happy to bring our experience from these many antenna projects to your project.
Your order for the akorIoT SensPRO is welcome. The investment is not high. If you are satisfied you can buy the Schematic Diagrams. For the antenna concept, no matter with which kind of antenna, we recommend a test setup with antenna in the enclosure on an empty PCB with the battery and the ultrasonic sensor. The battery and the ultrasonic sensor will have a significant influence on the antenna.
Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Many greetings from Germany
Harald Naumann