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COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
Selecting the Right Tool for the Job
There is a huge range of communication options available to connect devices to the internet. Many of these are being marketed by various organisations to become the new defacto standard, making it difficult to discern the real value. Genesys sorts through the hype to select the right protocol for the job. We classify our expertise in three broad areas:
WIDE AREA
NETWORKS
Personal area networks (PAN)
In many use cases, it is useful to interact directly with a device or edge computer, usually via a mobile phone or tablet. Typically, this is used by technicians to commission or service a device. It can also be a data visualisation and control interface for users of the device. Genesys provides a range of communication options to suit the exact requirements of your product.
Options include:
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RS-232
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USB
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Bluetooth
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Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
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ANT
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SPI
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I2C
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Isolated SPI
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IR Remote
Local Area Network (LAN) Gateways
LAN Gateways (also known as Edge Computers) are typically used to aggregate information from a range of sensing/actuating devices in the field, then communicate that data via a Local Area Network (LAN) to organisational systems. These gateways are enabled by one or more communication protocols that meet the need of various requirements.
Protocols Genesys supports include:
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WiFi (with BLE)
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Ethernet
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RS-485
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CAN Bus
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6LoWPAN
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TI 15.4
Wide area networks (WAN)
Most use cases call for data to be shared globally and processed in the cloud. The traditional approach has been to use the cellular 3G/4G network underpinned by LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology. Genesys has used all major carriers in Australia including Telstra, Vodaphone and Optus.
In addition to the national networks provided by the major telecommunication carriers, a range of new Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies have recently become available as part of the broader Internet of Things technology wave. Each of these options have advantages in certain contexts.
Genesys has been an early adopter in deploying these technologies commercially, allowing us to fully understand the benefits of each. LPWAN options include:
Sigfox
LoRaWAN
Myriota
NB-IoT
Many of these LPWAN options come with multiple options for chipsets, providing slightly different functional options. Genesys has implemented all the major chipset options.