INTRODUCTION

Glomex, a leading marine industry company, approached iomico to do a custom design and development of the first 5G router for marine transportation.

The router should provide communication services supporting advanced networking protocols and features for internet surfing up to 20 miles from the shore.

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the project set for the iomico team were the following:

• PCB Design

• Firmware development based on OpenWRT;

• Design a new generation of responsive WebUI;

• Create OTA support;

• Perform the lab test and support with the CE and EMC certification;

• Field testing support;

• Optimize power consumption while ensuring reliable operation.

BUSINESS PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY

• to provide a solution for yacht/boat owners that allows them to use the Internet throughout the journey;

• create the system with a user-friendly configuration;

• the system should be based on OpenWRT OS;

• support carrier aggregation technology. This technology significantly improves the stability and speed of your mobile Internet. The function combines multiple bands of the carrier into one big channel, whereby the power of several transmission masts is accessed at the same time;

• create auto switch mode for saving users money. The unit’s built-in advanced switching software allows the user to save money on costly roaming and overage charges by automatically switching from Wi-Fi to 5G/4G and back as soon as either signal is lost;

• provide automatic APN, SMS management/reading/sending to monitor internet consumption, automatic switching mode with onboard satellite internet devices/V-SAT, and an encrypted real-time peer-to-peer connection for remote set-up and service;

• configuration is carried out via web server, SSH, Automatic configuration update from server, Backup configuration, Restore configuration

• to support various cellular modems;

• create Dual SIM architecture to allow the user to have more choices for operation;

• to be able to work at -20 to +75 °С degrees.

APPROACH

iomico team designed and certificated the following hardware:

• CPU NXP processor;

• WiFi/Bluetooth module 1YM;

• DDR3L chips;

• NAND memory;

• 1GB Ethernet;

• Wide range industrial power supply;

We developed an OpenWRT firmware for reliable data transferring between different modules at a very high speed.

All the main business logic was implemented on the LS1021A processor. The following cases were included:

• Reliable long-term work under industrial requirements.

• Real-time data transmission/receiving via the interface a user needs;

• Power consumption: optimize to limit the heating for use in sundrenched areas;

• Over the Air updates (OTA). The device updates the firmware and drivers without the user’s participation.

For the firmware update, we implemented OTA with Mender. The external memory on board allows us to store the latest firmware for both modules in case we need to roll back a corrupted firmware.

We created the application for device management using:

• REST architectural style of core business logic for Backend

• SQLite database

• User-friendly UI and quick mobile application

TECHNICAL DETAILS

• CPU: Arm Cortex-A7 800MHz

• RAM: 256MB DDR3

• Automatic switch Wi-FI registered networks to 4G/5G.

• automatic APN

• SMS management function

• V-SAT/SAT internet autoswitch mode

• switching cellular data to external Wi-Fi

• encrypted real-time peer-to-peer connection for remote set-up and service

• Antenna dimensions (diam.x H): 250 x 300 mm / 10×12′′

• Antenna weight: 1,2 kg / 2,65 lb

• DUAL MINI SIM system

• Internet antennas: 4 x 5G + 2 x 2.4/5GHz MIMO Wi-Fi antennas

• 5G: Up to 2.5Gbps in download

• LTE CAT16: Up to 1Gbps in download

• WCDMA: Max 42Mbps in download

• Ethernet ports: 2 (1 LAN + 1 WAN)

• Power Supply: 10/30 Vdc

• Average Consumption: 450mA

LESSONS LEARNED

• Installed extension connectors can connect various sensors via specialized industrial interfaces;

• An external 256 Mbit flash memory is a good option for saving data and implementing Over-the-Air updates with rollback functionality;

• Implementing OpenWRT can facilitate data transfer, communication, and management while protecting the connection;

• Bootloaders on both modules control the integrity of the new firmware received through OTA and don’t start the updating process with corrupted FW files;

• It is possible to ensure system modularity by using different cellular modems;

• Finally, choosing the right protocols, functions, and features to match the device’s requirements and specifications is essential based on the project’s goals and objectives.

CONCLUSION

• The project appears to be a complex IoT Industrial device that combines multiple communication technologies for sharing data.

• The project utilized advanced features such as Over-the-Air updates, carrier aggregation technology, and auto switch mode.

• The project’s success relies on selecting the right components, protocols, and features that match the project goals and objectives.

“iomico has helped us be at an advantage over our competitors. We recently attended an important trade show in the marine industry, and we were one of the few manufacturers that presented a 5G product for the industry. We’re happy with iomico’s work.”

Mirco Frega, CTO of Glomex