Automatic test system and method based on LoRa technology

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of industrial communication and embedded systems, in particular to an automatic testing system and method based on the LoRa technology, and the system comprises a plurality of LoRa node devices which are used for collecting data; at least one LoRa gateway, wherein the LoRa gateway is used for receiving the data from the LoRa node equipment; the background server is connected with the LoRa gateway through a network, and is used for receiving and storing the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway; and the monitoring platform is in communication connection with the background server, and the monitoring platform provides a user interface and is used for displaying and managing data of the LoRa node equipment. On the basis of a traditional LoRa system architecture, deployment efficiency, management convenience, data transmission reliability and user experience can be remarkably improved, and therefore an efficient, stable and easy-to-maintain automatic test solution is provided for the field of industrial Internet of Things.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of the Internet of Things, and particularly to an automated test system and method based on LoRa technology. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet of Things technology, LoRa (Long Range & Low Power communication) technology has been widely used in the fields of industrial monitoring, environmental perception, etc. due to its characteristics of low power consumption and wide coverage. In the prior art, LoRa is a technology for long-distance wireless transmission in the Internet of Things field in low-power wide area networks. Since this technology takes into account the requirements of both low power consumption and long distance, it has been increasingly widely used in the era of the rapid development of the Internet of Things. Traditional LoRa test systems usually consist of node devices, gateways, and backend servers, and are used to implement data collection, transmission, and storage. However, the prior art has the following significant defects in practical applications:

[0003] Insufficient flexibility in gateway deployment: Traditional gateways mostly rely on static IP addresses or manual network configuration and lack the function of dynamic IP allocation. In scenarios with complex network environments or frequent deployments, manual IP configuration is inefficient and error-prone, resulting in limited scalability and adaptability of the system.

[0004] Low efficiency in node management: In existing systems, the addition, configuration, and status query of node devices mostly rely on dedicated tools or command-line operations and lack intuitive Web interface support. Users need to have a relatively high technical threshold and it is difficult to achieve rapid configuration and real-time monitoring.

[0005] Lack of reliability in the data transmission link: During the process of node data being transmitted to the backend server through the gateway, there is a lack of an end-to-end data verification mechanism. Traditional solutions only rely on the transmission confirmation of a single link (such as the gateway receiving data), and cannot ensure that the data reaches the monitoring platform completely, resulting in difficult fault location and insufficient overall reliability of the system.

[0006] Scattered functions and low integration degree of the monitoring platform: Existing monitoring platforms mostly adopt independent backend services and front-end interfaces, which leads to inconvenient platform access, fragmented functional modules, and lack of unified user permission management (such as fixed account passwords), making it difficult to achieve user-friendly data display and device management.

[0007] Therefore, with the continuous improvement of the requirements for data accuracy, real-time performance, and system automation degree in various industries, the existing test systems are difficult to meet the actual needs. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to develop an automated test system based on LoRa technology that can automatically collect data, transmit it efficiently, verify the data reliably, and is easy to manage. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an automated test system and method based on LoRa technology to solve the above problems.

[0009] To achieve the above object, in one aspect of the present invention, an automated test system based on LoRa technology is provided, including:

[0010] A plurality of LoRa node devices for collecting data;

[0011] At least one LoRa gateway, which is used to receive data from the LoRa node devices. The LoRa gateway has a network connection function to obtain an IP address through DHCP, and has a configuration function to add node addresses, query node information, and signal quality through a web interface;

[0012] A background server, which is connected to the LoRa gateway through a network and is used to receive and store the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway;

[0013] A monitoring platform, which is communicatively connected to the background server. The monitoring platform provides a user interface for displaying and managing the data of the LoRa node devices.

[0014] Preferably, in the automated test system based on LoRa technology, the background server includes a database, and the database is used to store the MAC address of the LoRa gateway and the data collected from the LoRa node devices and transmitted through the LoRa gateway.

[0015] Preferably, in the automated test system based on LoRa technology, data is transmitted between the LoRa gateway and the background server through an internal network, and the background server receives data from the LoRa gateway through a background communication program for internal network communication.

[0016] Preferably, in the automated test system based on LoRa technology, the monitoring platform runs in a tomcat environment, can be accessed through a website, and the login interface of the monitoring platform is logged in using an account (the account name is admin and the password is admin). After successful login, the LoRa node devices can be added, and the data of the LoRa node devices can be viewed and managed in real time.

[0017] Preferably, in the automated test system based on LoRa technology, the LoRa node devices can automatically trigger data collection operations, and the collected data is sent to the LoRa gateway in a format conforming to the LoRa communication protocol.

[0018] Preferably, in the automated test system based on LoRa technology, the system has a data verification mechanism. When the LoRa node device collects data and sends it to the LoRa gateway, the LoRa gateway can print and display the data to verify the successful upload of the data; when the data is transmitted from the LoRa gateway to the background server and finally displayed on the monitoring platform, the smoothness of the entire data transmission link is verified.

[0019] In addition, on the other hand of the present invention, an automated test method based on LoRa technology is also proposed, including the following steps:

[0020] The LoRa node device collects data;

[0021] The LoRa gateway receives data from the LoRa node device. The LoRa gateway obtains an IP address through DHCP and configures node address addition, node information, and signal quality query through a web interface.

[0022] The LoRa gateway transmits the received data to the background server through the internal network;

[0023] The background server receives and stores the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway;

[0024] The monitoring platform obtains data from the background server and displays and manages the data through a login interface. The monitoring platform runs in a tomcat environment and can be logged in and operated through a website.

[0025] Preferably, in the automated test method based on LoRa technology, before the background server receives and stores the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway, it further includes the step of adding the MAC address of the LoRa gateway to the database of the background server.

[0026] Preferably, in the automated test method based on LoRa technology, the login interface of the monitoring platform allows login operations using an account. After successful login, the LoRa node device can be added, and the data of the LoRa node device can be viewed and managed in real time.

[0027] Preferably, in the automated test method based on LoRa technology, the method further includes a step of verifying the entire data transmission link, and the step includes:

[0028] Trigger the LoRa node device to collect data;

[0029] Check whether the LoRa gateway prints and displays the data to verify the successful upload of the node data to the LoRa gateway;

[0030] Check whether the monitoring platform can display node data to verify the smoothness of the entire data transmission link, which includes the link from the LoRa node device to the LoRa gateway, from the LoRa gateway to the back-end server, and from the back-end server to the monitoring platform.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following technical effects:

[0032] Data is collected by multiple LoRa node devices, transmitted to the back-end server (including database storing MAC addresses and data) via a LoRa gateway (supporting DHCP networking and Web interface configuration of nodes), and the monitoring platform running in the Tomcat environment displays and manages the data in real time. At the same time, the integrity of the data transmission link is verified by printing through the gateway and displaying on the platform, thereby solving the problems of complex deployment, low management efficiency, and insufficient link reliability in traditional LoRa systems, and thus achieving efficient deployment of automated testing, reliable transmission across the entire link, and user-friendly management. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 It is a login interface of an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 It is a detailed page diagram of adding a node address in an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 It is a detailed page diagram of querying node information in an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 It is a detailed page diagram of the print log of successful upload of data from a LoRa node device to a LoRa gateway in an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 It is a detailed page diagram of adding a gateway to the database in an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 It is a detailed page diagram of the monitoring platform in an automated testing system based on LoRa technology in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0040] The following will describe in more detail an automated test system and method based on LoRa technology of the present invention with reference to the schematic diagrams, in which the preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can modify the present invention described herein while still achieving the advantageous effects of the present invention. Therefore, the following description should be understood as a broad knowledge for those skilled in the art and not as a limitation to the present invention.

[0041] For clarity, not all features of the actual embodiments are described. In the following description, well-known functions and structures are not described in detail because they would obscure the present invention with unnecessary details. It should be considered that in the development of any actual embodiment, numerous implementation details must be made to achieve the specific goals of the developer, such as changing from one embodiment to another according to the relevant system or business limitations. Additionally, it should be considered that such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but it is only routine work for those skilled in the art.

[0042] In the following paragraphs, the present invention will be described more specifically by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. According to the following description, the advantages and features of the present invention will be clearer. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and use non-precise scales, only for the purpose of facilitating and clearly assisting in explaining the objectives of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0043] As mentioned in the background art, there are many deficiencies in the traditional test system in terms of data collection and transmission. For example, the flexibility of gateway deployment is insufficient, the efficiency of node management is low, the reliability of the data transmission link is lacking, and the functions of the monitoring platform are scattered and the integration degree is low.

[0044] In view of this, as Figure 1 shown, the present invention provides an automated test system based on LoRa technology, which is applicable to various scenarios requiring automated testing and data monitoring. The system includes four components: LoRa node devices, LoRa gateways, a background server, and a monitoring platform. Each component works in coordination to achieve the full-process automation from data collection, transmission, storage to visual management.

[0045] Among them, the number of LoRa node devices is multiple, which are used to collect data; the number of LoRa gateways is at least one. The LoRa gateway is used to receive data from the LoRa node devices. The LoRa gateway has a network connection function to obtain an IP address through DHCP, and has a configuration function to add node addresses, query node information, and signal quality through a web interface; a background server, which is connected to the LoRa gateway through the network and is used to receive and store the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway; a monitoring platform, which is communicatively connected to the background server. The monitoring platform provides a user interface for displaying and managing the data of the LoRa node devices.

[0046] In this embodiment, multiple LoRa node devices are respectively deployed at different monitoring points (such as industrial equipment, environmental monitoring areas). It should be noted that the LoRa node devices can automatically trigger data collection operations, and the collected data is sent to the LoRa gateway in a format conforming to the LoRa communication protocol.

[0047] Specifically, sensors (such as temperature, humidity, pressure sensors) or trigger interfaces (such as buttons, timers) are provided inside the LoRa node devices. Automatic triggering or manual triggering of data collection is supported. For example, data is automatically collected every 10 minutes through a timer, or immediately triggered through a physical button. The collected data is encapsulated into a data frame according to the LoRa communication protocol and sent to the LoRa gateway through the LoRa radio frequency module. Among them, the data frame includes a node ID, a timestamp, a sensor value, and a CRC check field. After receiving the LoRa data frame sent by the node and parsing the data, the LoRa gateway transmits it to the background server through the internal network (such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi).

[0048] In this embodiment, the LoRa gateway has a network connection function to obtain an IP address through DHCP. DHCP supports plug-and-play and is suitable for temporary or mobile monitoring scenarios. Specifically, the LoRa gateway automatically obtains an IP address through the DHCP protocol by default without manual configuration of network parameters, adapting to different deployment environments (such as enterprise internal networks, temporary monitoring networks). If a fixed IP is required, it can be switched to the static IP mode through the Web interface.

[0049] In addition, the LoRa gateway has a configuration function to add node addresses, query node information, and signal quality through the Web interface. First, in order to prevent unauthorized users from tampering with the configuration, users can access the DHCP-assigned IP of the gateway (such as 192.168.1.100) through a browser, enter the default account (admin) and password (admin) to log in to the management interface, such as Figure 2As shown in the figure. It should be noted that the Web interface lowers the operation threshold, and nodes can be managed without professional programming knowledge. The specific operations for managing nodes are as follows:

[0050] Add node address: As Figure 3 shown in the figure, enter the node ID (such as 001) in the Web interface, click the "Add" button, and the LoRa gateway will store the node information in the local configuration table and allocate a communication channel;

[0051] Query node information: As Figure 4 shown in the figure, click "Query" after entering the node ID, and parameters such as signal strength (RSSI) and packet loss rate will be displayed to assist in optimizing the node deployment location;

[0052] Signal quality monitoring: Real-time display of the communication quality chart between the node and the gateway (such as the curve of signal strength changing with time).

[0053] Furthermore, data is transmitted between the LoRa gateway and the background server through the internal network, and the background server receives data from the LoRa gateway through a background communication program for internal network communication.

[0054] Specifically, execute the lora-comm-server-0.0.1-SNAPSHOT.jar command on the background server to start the background communication program for internal network communication. This program listens on a specified port (such as 8080) and receives data sent by the LoRa gateway through the HTTP or MQTT protocol.

[0055] Furthermore, the background server includes a database, which is used to store the MAC address of the LoRa gateway and the data collected from the LoRa node devices and transmitted through the LoRa gateway.

[0056] In this embodiment, a gateway information table (lora_gateway) is established in the database (such as MySQL) to store the MAC address of the LoRa gateway. The fields include gateway_id (IP address), address (MAC address), registration_time (registration time), etc. Another node data table (node_data) is set up to store the data uploaded by the nodes. The fields include node_id (node ID), timestamp (timestamp), sensor_value (sensor value), etc.

[0057] In this embodiment, the implementation steps of the database of the background server are as follows: As Figure 6As shown, by using the SQLyog tool to connect to the database, the MAC address of the LoRa gateway is manually inserted into the lora_gateway table. The background communication program automatically writes the received node data into the node_data table. After the background server receives the data, it triggers the data update interface of the monitoring platform and pushes the latest data to the front-end page.

[0058] Furthermore, the monitoring platform runs in the tomcat environment and can be accessed through a website. The login interface of the monitoring platform uses an account for login. After successful login, the LoRa node device can be added, and the data of the LoRa node device can be viewed and managed in real time.

[0059] In this embodiment, as Figure 7 shown, the user can access the monitoring platform by visiting the URL (such as http: / / 188.188.2.20:9090). The monitoring platform is developed based on Java Web technology and is deployed on the Tomcat server. The Tomcat server starts Tomcat through startup.bat and deploys the WAR package of the monitoring platform. The startup method of the monitoring platform is as follows: enter the bin directory of Tomcat and execute startup.bat to log in. After the user enters the account and password to log in, nodes can be added through the "New" function (fill in the node ID, name, location, etc.).

[0060] Furthermore, the system has a data verification mechanism. When the LoRa node device collects data and sends it to the LoRa gateway, the LoRa gateway can print and display the data to verify the successful upload of the data. When the data is transmitted from the LoRa gateway to the background server and finally displayed on the monitoring platform, the smoothness of the entire data transmission link is verified.

[0061] Specifically, the entire data transmission link includes from the LoRa node device to the LoRa gateway, from the LoRa gateway to the background server, and from the background server to the monitoring platform. After receiving the data, the LoRa gateway verifies the link from the LoRa node device to the LoRa gateway by printing logs (such as Received from Node 001:Temperature=25℃), as Figure 5As shown; verify the link from the LoRa gateway to the back-end server by logging the data reception status through the back-end communication program log (such as Data storedto DB:Node 001); display the data in real time through the monitoring platform, and the user can manually refresh the page to confirm and verify the link from the back-end server to the monitoring platform. Therefore, quickly locate the abnormal link in the transmission link by excluding the fault points layer by layer (such as node offline, network interruption, database exception).

[0062] Taking the environmental temperature monitoring as an example, the complete process of the system is as follows:

[0063] 1. Node data collection:

[0064] The node Node_001 collects temperature data (such as 25.5°C) every 10 minutes, encapsulates it into a LoRa data frame and sends it to the LoRa gateway.

[0065] 2. LoRa gateway reception and forwarding:

[0066] The LoRa gateway parses the data, calls the REST API of the back-end server through the internal network (such as POST / api / data), and sends the data to the back-end server.

[0067] 3. LoRa gateway console prints log: [2025-04-11 14:30:00] Forwarded data fromNode_001to server.

[0068] 4. Back-end server storage and push:

[0069] The back-end server writes the data into the node_data table and notifies the monitoring platform to update the interface through WebSocket.

[0070] 5. Monitoring platform display:

[0071] After the user logs in, view the temperature value of Node_001 in the real-time data panel, and the historical data chart shows the trend in the past 24 hours.

[0072] In another embodiment of the present application, an automated testing method based on LoRa technology is proposed, which is applied to the system in the above embodiment and includes the following steps:

[0073] The LoRa node device collects data;

[0074] The LoRa gateway receives data from the LoRa node device, the LoRa gateway obtains an IP address through DHCP, and configures node address addition, node information and signal quality query through a web interface;

[0075] The LoRa gateway transmits the received data to the background server through the internal network;

[0076] The background server receives and stores the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway;

[0077] The monitoring platform obtains data from the background server and displays and manages the data through the login interface. The monitoring platform runs in the tomcat environment and can be logged in and operated through the website.

[0078] Further, before the background server receives and stores the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway, it further includes the step of adding the MAC address of the LoRa gateway to the database of the background server.

[0079] Specifically, pre-entering the MAC address of the LoRa gateway into the database can realize the unique identification and legality verification of the LoRa gateway device. During the operation of the system, the storage of the MAC address provides a basis for the accurate traceability of the data source, ensuring that the background server only receives and processes data from the registered LoRa gateways, thereby enhancing the security and data credibility of the system.

[0080] Further, the login interface of the monitoring platform allows login operations using an account. After successful login, the LoRa node device can be added, and the data of the LoRa node device can be viewed and managed in real time.

[0081] Specifically, by specifying that the login interface of the monitoring platform requires identity verification using an account and allowing logged-in users to add LoRa node devices and manage their data in real time, the security and user permission management mechanism of the system are clarified. This not only ensures that only authorized personnel can operate the system (preventing unauthorized access), but also improves the operation convenience and function integrity of the monitoring platform by integrating device addition and data management functions.

[0082] Further, the method further includes the step of verifying the entire data transmission link, and the steps include:

[0083] Trigger the LoRa node device to collect data;

[0084] Check whether the LoRa gateway prints and displays the data to verify that the node data is successfully uploaded to the LoRa gateway;

[0085] Check whether the monitoring platform can display the node data to verify that the entire data transmission link is unobstructed. The entire data transmission link includes from the LoRa node device to the LoRa gateway, from the LoRa gateway to the background server, and from the background server to the monitoring platform.

[0086] Specifically, first trigger node data collection and check the data printing and display at the gateway end to verify the successful data upload from the LoRa node device to the LoRa gateway; then confirm the smoothness of the transmission from the LoRa gateway to the background server and then to the monitoring platform through the data display on the monitoring platform. Through this phased verification mechanism, this design can not only achieve full-process traceability from data collection, transmission to display, but also quickly locate the faulty links in the link (such as abnormal node communication, gateway forwarding failure or server storage problems), thereby improving the maintainability of the system.

[0087] In summary, in an automated test system and method based on LoRa technology provided by an embodiment of the present invention, data is collected by multiple LoRa node devices, transmitted through a LoRa gateway (supporting DHCP networking and Web interface configuration of nodes) to a background server (including database storage of MAC addresses and data), and the monitoring platform running in a Tomcat environment displays and manages the data in real time. At the same time, the integrity of the data transmission link is verified through gateway printing and platform display, thereby solving the problems of complex deployment, low management efficiency and insufficient link reliability of traditional LoRa systems, and thus realizing the efficient deployment of automated tests, reliable transmission of the entire link and user-friendly management.

[0088] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not impose any limitations on the present invention. Any person skilled in the art, within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention, makes any form of equivalent replacement or modification and other changes to the technical solution and technical content disclosed by the present invention, all of which belong to the content within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention and still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated test system based on LoRa technology, characterized in that, Including: Multiple LoRa node devices for data collection; At least one LoRa gateway, which is used to receive data from the LoRa node devices. The LoRa gateway has a network connection function to obtain an IP address through DHCP, and has a configuration function to add node addresses, query node information, and signal quality through a Web interface; A backend server, which is connected to the LoRa gateway through a network and is used to receive and store the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway; A monitoring platform, which is communicatively connected to the backend server. The monitoring platform provides a user interface for displaying and managing the data of the LoRa node devices.

2. The automated test system based on LoRa technology according to claim 1, wherein The backend server includes a database, which is used to store the MAC address of the LoRa gateway and the data collected from the LoRa node devices and transmitted through the LoRa gateway.

3. The automated test system based on LoRa technology according to claim 1, wherein Data is transmitted between the LoRa gateway and the backend server through an internal network, and the backend server receives data from the LoRa gateway through a backend communication program for internal network communication.

4. The automated test system based on LoRa technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring platform runs in a tomcat environment and can be accessed through a website. The login interface of the monitoring platform uses an account for login. After successful login, the LoRa node devices can be added, and the data of the LoRa node devices can be viewed and managed in real time.

5. The automated test system based on LoRa technology according to claim 1, wherein The LoRa node devices can automatically trigger data collection operations, and the collected data is sent to the LoRa gateway in a format compliant with the LoRa communication protocol.

6. The automated test system based on LoRa technology according to claim 1, characterized in that The system has a data verification mechanism. When the LoRa node devices collect data and send it to the LoRa gateway, the LoRa gateway can print and display the data to verify the successful upload of the data; when the data is transmitted from the LoRa gateway to the backend server and finally displayed on the monitoring platform, the smoothness of the entire data transmission link is verified.

7. An automated testing method based on LoRa technology, applied to the system according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Including the following steps: The LoRa node devices collect data; The LoRa gateway receives data from the LoRa node devices. The LoRa gateway obtains an IP address through DHCP and configures node address addition, node information, and signal quality query through a web interface; The LoRa gateway transmits the received data to the backend server through an internal network; The backend server receives and stores the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway; The monitoring platform obtains data from the backend server and displays and manages the data through the login interface. The monitoring platform runs in a tomcat environment and can be logged in and operated through a website.

8. The automated test method based on LoRa technology according to claim 7, characterized in that, Before the backend server receives and stores the data transmitted from the LoRa gateway, it also includes the step of adding the MAC address of the LoRa gateway to the database of the backend server.

9. The automated test method based on LoRa technology according to claim 7, wherein The login interface of the monitoring platform allows login operations using an account. After successful login, the LoRa node devices can be added, and the data of the LoRa node devices can be viewed and managed in real time.

10. The automated test method based on LoRa technology according to claim 7, characterized in that The method further includes a step of verifying the entire data transmission link, and the step includes: Triggering the LoRa node device to collect data; Checking whether the LoRa gateway prints and displays the data to verify that the node data is successfully uploaded to the LoRa gateway; Checking whether the monitoring platform can display the node data to verify that the entire data transmission link is unobstructed. The entire data transmission link includes from the LoRa node device to the LoRa gateway, from the LoRa gateway to the back-end server, and from the back-end server to the monitoring platform.

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