[Collection] Common protocols and usage scenarios of Industrial Internet of Things

IoT communication protocol

IoT communication protocols are crucial in industry. They realize real-time data transmission and mutual interaction between devices, improving production efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing safety. These protocols help monitor equipment health, optimize production processes, predict maintenance needs, and improve the intelligence of the production environment. By integrating smart sensors and equipment, industrial companies can achieve more effective production management and promote the development of Industry 4.0 technology.

The following introduces the mainstream communication protocols

• 1. MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)

MQTT is a lightweight, publish/subscribe messaging protocol optimized for communicating with devices in low-bandwidth, high-latency, or unstable network environments.

• Features:
  Supports real-time message push and reliable message transmission. Clients can choose to receive data updates on specific topics. MQTT Broker simplifies the architectural complexity of communication between devices.

• Usage scenarios:
  Suitable for sensor networks, monitoring systems, smart homes and other fields, especially good at communication in low-bandwidth environments.

• 2. CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol)

CoAP is an application layer protocol built based on the UDP protocol and suitable for resource-constrained devices, and supports the RESTful interaction model.

• Features:
  Simple, suitable for low-power devices, does not maintain long connections, and can achieve real-time data push through observer mode.

• Usage scenarios:
  It is widely used in sensor networks, low-power device communication, Internet of Things device control and other fields.

• 3.REST/HTTP ​

REST/HTTP combines the REST architectural style to provide an easy-to-implement and widely used service invocation method, especially widely used in cloud interfaces and device management.

• Features: It has the advantages of strong compatibility, easy implementation, and standardized service invocation, although it is not as good as other protocols in terms of power consumption and bandwidth efficiency.

• Usage scenarios: Used for sensor data transmission, remote control, communication between IoT server and client, etc.

• 4.Zigbee ​

Zigbee is a short-range, low-power wireless network standard for home automation and industrial control.

• Features: Based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, it supports ad hoc networks, multi-hop routing, and has high wireless communication security.

• Usage scenarios:
  Zigbee is often used in home automation, smart cities, sensor networks and other scenarios that require low-power communication.

• 5.LoRaWAN ​

LoRaWAN is a low-power wide-area network standard that uses Chirp Spread Spectrum modulation technology to provide low-power, long-distance wireless communication.

• Features: Especially suitable for large-scale deployment of sensor networks, such as agricultural monitoring and smart city projects.

• Usage scenarios: Used for agricultural monitoring, environmental monitoring, smart cities and other projects that require long-distance communication.

• 6. NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things)

NB-IoT is a cellular IoT technology based on 3GPP standards, utilizing existing LTE infrastructure and designed specifically for the IoT.

• Features: Provides deep coverage, ultra-low power consumption, and low-cost connections, suitable for large-scale remote monitoring and tracking applications.

• Usage scenarios: Suitable for smart meter reading, asset tracking, remote monitoring systems and other projects that require low power consumption and long-distance connections.

• 7. DDS (Data Distribution Service for Real-Time Systems)

DDS is a data distribution protocol that emphasizes high reliability, real-time and flexibility, and is used in systems that require real-time data exchange and synchronization.

• Features:
  Adopts a publish/subscribe model and is suitable for real-time application scenarios such as industrial automation and autonomous driving.
• Usage scenarios: Used in industrial automation, robot control, autonomous driving and other systems that require high reliability and real-time performance.

Summarize

Each of these seven IoT communication protocols has unique characteristics and is suitable for different business scenarios. Selecting the appropriate protocol should be determined based on project needs, taking into account factors such as data transfer rate, energy consumption requirements, network coverage, etc. In the future, with the continuous development of IoT technology, more innovative communication protocols will emerge to meet the growing market demand.