A LoRaWAN-based data communication system and communication method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data communication system and a communication method based on LoRaWAN. The data communication system includes a LoRa backend server, a LoRa gateway, and LoRa terminals. The LoRa terminals are provided with a first LoRa module for signaling interaction and static data transmission and a second LoRa module for dynamic data transmission. The first LoRa module and the second LoRa module communicate with the LoRa gateway respectively, and the LoRa gateway is connected to the LoRa backend server. Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the advantages of realizing fast data transmission within a site, high transmission efficiency, strong scalability, and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of data communication in railway yards, and particularly to a data communication system and a communication method based on LoRaWAN. Background Art

[0002] LoRaWAN is a set of communication protocols and system architectures designed based on LoRa long-distance communication technology and networking. Its structure is as Figure 1 shown, including LoRa terminals, LoRa gateways and servers, and has the characteristics of no need to apply for radio frequencies, supporting a large number of nodes, wide coverage, strong anti-interference ability, low cost, etc., and has been widely used in the field of data transmission of the Internet of Things.

[0003] When the existing equipment in the railway yard is subject to on-line detection or monitoring, it is necessary to transmit both static data (long collection time interval, small data volume) and dynamic data (intensive collection in a short time, forming a data file, large data volume). The characteristics of LoRaWAN are very suitable for the transmission of static data in the on-line detection or monitoring of railway yard equipment, but it is relatively difficult to transmit the dynamically generated data files (low data transmission rate, easy data loss). Although the problem of data transmission in the on-line detection or monitoring of railway yard equipment (including static data and dynamic data) can be solved by other communication means, the complexity and cost of the solution have a relatively large increase. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned defects existing in the prior art and provide a data communication system and a communication method based on LoRaWAN that can achieve fast data transmission within a site, high transmission efficiency, strong scalability and low cost.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved by the following technical solutions:

[0006] A data communication system based on LoRaWAN, the data communication system includes a LoRa backend server, a LoRa gateway and LoRa terminals; the LoRa terminals are provided with a first LoRa module for signaling interaction and static data transmission and a second LoRa module for dynamic data transmission; the first LoRa module and the second LoRa module communicate with the LoRa gateway respectively; the LoRa gateway is connected to the LoRa backend server.

[0007] Preferably, the first LoRa module is provided with a 125 kHz communication channel.

[0008] Preferably, the second LoRa module is provided with a 500 kHz communication channel.

[0009] Preferably, the LoRa gateway is provided with a 125 kHz communication channel and a 500 kHz communication channel.

[0010] Preferably, the LoRa terminal further includes a main control module; the first LoRa module and the second LoRa module are respectively connected to the main control module.

[0011] Preferably, the number of LoRa terminals is several, and several LoRa terminals communicate with the LoRa gateway respectively.

[0012] More preferably, when the LoRa terminal accesses the network, only one LoRa module accesses the network, and the other LoRa module shares the module identifier and network access certificate of the LoRa module that accesses the network.

[0013] Preferably, the LoRa backend server, the LoRa gateway and the LoRa terminal are respectively connected in a star manner.

[0014] A communication method for a data communication system as described in any one of the above, the communication method comprising:

[0015] Step 1: The main control module in the LoRa terminal configures the first LoRa module and the second LoRa module;

[0016] Step 2: The first LoRa module in the LoRa terminal accesses the LoRaWAN network;

[0017] Step 3: The first LoRa module in the LoRa terminal sends the received network access certificate information to the second LoRa module through the main control module;

[0018] Step 4: The main control module in the LoRa terminal regularly collects sensor data, and at the same time the first LoRa module transmits static low-rate data information to the LoRa gateway;

[0019] Step 5: Determine whether there is a data file that needs to be transmitted. If so, execute Step 6; otherwise, return to Step 4;

[0020] Step 6: The main control module in the LoRa terminal applies for a sending permission to the LoRa backend server through the first LoRa module;

[0021] Step 7: After the main control module obtains the sending permission, it sends the data file to the backend server through the second LoRa module;

[0022] Step 8: After the data sending is completed, the main control module releases the sending permission to the backend server through the first LoRa module.

[0023] Preferably, Step 7 further includes:

[0024] During the data file transfer process, the LoRa backend server continuously determines whether there is data loss. If there is, the LoRa backend server sends the information that needs to be retransmitted through the 125 kHz channel, and the LoRa terminal will retransmit the information through the second LoRa module on the 500 kHz channel according to the retransmission signaling.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0026] I. Achieving fast data transmission within the site: In the data transmission system of the present invention, a LoRa communication module, namely the second LoRa module, is added to the LoRaWAN terminal device. This module uses the 500 kHz uplink channel and can be used for fast data transmission; the first LoRa module is used for signaling interaction and static transmission, and the second LoRa module is used for fast data transmission. In this way, the disadvantages that the existing LoRaWAN terminal device cannot receive when sending and cannot send when receiving are avoided, and fast data transmission within the site is achieved.

[0027] II. High transmission efficiency: The data communication system of the present invention uses two LoRa communication modules, and each module has a wireless transceiver, forming a full-duplex communication method. Moreover, the second module is only used for uplink transmission, and the uplink transmission rate is fast and the efficiency is high.

[0028] III. Strong scalability: Although the LoRa terminal in the data communication system of the present invention includes two LoRa modules, only one LoRa module accesses the network, and the other shares the module identifier and network access certificate of the LoRa module that accesses the network. In the LoRa backend service, it is only displayed as one logical entity. In this way, the LoRa backend service is not affected by the module and channel expansion of the LoRaWAN terminal device, greatly improving the scalability of the system.

[0029] IV. Low cost: The data communication system of the present invention only needs to add a LoRa module to the LoRa terminal to achieve fast transmission of dynamic data. While retaining many transmission advantages of LoRaWAN, it improves the data transmission rate and can meet the need for relatively high-speed data transmission in railway yards under low-cost conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the LoRaWAN network in the prior art;

[0031] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the LoRaWAN data communication system of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 It is a schematic main structure diagram of the LoRaWAN data communication system of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 It is a schematic flowchart of the data communication method in the present invention.

[0034] As shown in the figure by the reference numerals:

[0035] 1. LoRa backend server, 2. LoRa gateway, 3. LoRa terminal, 301. First LoRa module, 302. Second LoRa module, 303. Main control module. Specific embodiments

[0036] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0037] A data communication system based on LoRaWAN, its structure is as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, including a LoRa backend server 1, a LoRa gateway 2 and a LoRa terminal 3. The LoRa terminal 3 communicates with the LoRa backend server 1 through the LoRa gateway 2.

[0038] The LoRa terminal 3 includes a first LoRa module 301, a second LoRa module 302 and a main control module 303. Among them, the first LoRa module 301 is provided with a 125 kHz communication channel for signaling interaction and static data transmission. The second LoRa module 302 is provided with a 500 kHz communication channel for dynamic data transmission.

[0039] The LoRa gateway 2 is provided with a 125 kHz communication channel and a 500 kHz communication channel for communicating with the LoRa terminal 3.

[0040] In this embodiment, the number of LoRa terminals 3 is several. Several LoRa terminals 3 communicate with the LoRa gateway 2 respectively. When the LoRa terminal 3 accesses the network, only one LoRa module accesses the network, and the other LoRa module shares the module identifier and network access certificate of the accessing LoRa module. It is only displayed as one logical entity in the LoRa backend server 1. In this way, the LoRa backend server 1 is not affected by the module and channel expansion of LoRaWAN terminal devices.

[0041] The LoRa backend server, the LoRa gateway 2 and the LoRa terminal 3 in this embodiment are respectively connected in a star shape.

[0042] In this embodiment, the gateway uses a LoRa gateway with a Semtech SX1301 chip and a LoRa terminal module with a Semtech SX1278 chip..

[0043] This embodiment also relates to a data communication method for the above data communication system, and its process is as Figure 4 shown, including:

[0044] Step 1: The main control module in the LoRa terminal configures the first LoRa module and the second LoRa module;

[0045] Step 2: The first LoRa module in the LoRa terminal joins the LoRaWAN network;

[0046] Step 3: The first LoRa module in the LoRa terminal sends the received network access credential information to the second LoRa module through the main control module;

[0047] Step 4: The main control module in the LoRa terminal regularly collects sensor data, and at the same time, the first LoRa module transmits static low-rate data information to the LoRa gateway;

[0048] Step 5: Determine whether there is a data file that needs to be transmitted. If so, execute Step 6; otherwise, return to Step 4;

[0049] Step 6: The main control module in the LoRa terminal applies for a transmission permission to the LoRa backend server through the first LoRa module;

[0050] Step 7: After obtaining the transmission permission, the main control module sends the data file to the backend server through the second LoRa module;

[0051] Step 8: After the data is sent, the main control module releases the transmission permission to the backend server through the first LoRa module.

[0052] Step 7 also includes:

[0053] During the data file transmission process, the LoRa backend server continuously judges whether there is data loss. If so, the LoRa backend server sends the information that needs to be retransmitted through the 125 kHz channel, and the LoRa terminal will retransmit the information through the second LoRa module on the 500 kHz channel according to the retransmission signaling.

[0054] As described above, the above is only the specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements, and these modifications or replacements should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method for a data communication system based on LoRaWAN, characterized in that, The described data communication system includes a LoRa backend server (1), a LoRa gateway (2), and LoRa terminals (3); the LoRa terminals (3) are provided with a first LoRa module (301) for signaling interaction and static data transmission and a second LoRa module (302) for dynamic data transmission; the first LoRa module (301) and the second LoRa module (302) communicate with the LoRa gateway (2) respectively; the LoRa gateway (2) is connected to the LoRa backend server (1); the first LoRa module (301) is provided with a 125 kHz communication channel; The second LoRa module (302) is provided with a 500 kHz communication channel; The described communication method includes: Step 1: The main control module in the LoRa terminal configures the first LoRa module and the second LoRa module; Step 2: The first LoRa module in the LoRa terminal joins the LoRaWAN network; Step 3: The first LoRa module in the LoRa terminal sends the received network access credential information to the second LoRa module through the main control module; Step 4: The main control module in the LoRa terminal periodically collects sensor data, and at the same time the first LoRa module transmits static low-rate data information to the LoRa gateway; Step 5: Determine whether there is a data file that needs to be transmitted. If so, execute Step 6; otherwise, return to Step 4; Step 6: The main control module in the LoRa terminal applies for a sending permission to the LoRa backend server through the first LoRa module; Step 7: After the main control module obtains the sending permission, it sends the data file to the backend server through the second LoRa module; Step 8: After the data sending is completed, the main control module releases the sending permission to the backend server through the first LoRa module; The described Step 7 further includes: During the data file transmission process, the LoRa backend server continuously judges whether there is data loss. If so, the LoRa backend server issues the information that needs to be retransmitted through the 125 kHz channel, and the LoRa terminal will retransmit the information through the second LoRa module on the 500 kHz channel according to the retransmission signaling.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that The LoRa gateway (2) is provided with a 125 kHz communication channel and a 500 kHz communication channel.

3. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein The LoRa terminal (3) further includes a main control module (303); the first LoRa module (301) and the second LoRa module (302) are respectively connected to the main control module (303).

4. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein The number of the LoRa terminals (3) is several, and several LoRa terminals (3) communicate with the LoRa gateway (2) respectively.

5. The communication method according to claim 4, wherein When the LoRa terminal (3) joins the network, only one LoRa module joins the network, and the other LoRa terminal module shares the module identifier and network access credential of the joining LoRa module.

6. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein The LoRa backend server (1), the LoRa gateway (2), and the LoRa terminals (3) are respectively connected in a star shape.

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