Role Of A Bluetooth (BLE) Gateway In The IoT Systems
A gateway is a bridge that connects local IoT devices to the remote cloud server or a local computer network. One Bluetooth IoT gateway can collect data from multiple
devices, such as BLE beacons and sensors.
What Is A Bluetooth IoT Gateway
A Bluetooth IoT gateway is an electronic device that can communicate with the local IoT devices on one end, and a software on the remote cloud server on the other end.
It serves as a central hub,
collecting data
from BLE beacons and sensors within the gateway range, and sending data to the back end cloud software
for processing and reporting.
A Bluetooth IoT gateway communicates with the local devices using Bluetooth low energy (BLE), which is a short range communication protocol.
A gateway processes data, re-formats them and sends data to the remote cloud server
using internet communication protocols, such as HTTP/HTTPS or MQTT/MQTTS.
What Is An Edge IoT Gateway
An edge gateway has capability to process data locally before sending data to the cloud software.
An edge gateway filters out redundant info, aggregates data, and sends data to the cloud software in batches
based on the pre-set rules. Edge processing decreases the load and amount of data on the cloud server and saves you money on the cloud hosting.
Why Do You Need A Gateway For The IoT System
An IoT system consists of a number of electronic devices that should be able to communicate to each other, as well as to the remote cloud server.
The electronics that allows a connection to the internet, either through a wifi or via a cellular connection, is quite expensive.
In many cases it is not feasible to include it in each IoT device. It is especially true when we are talking about asset tracking
IoT devices, such as
BLE tags,
that must be small in size and low cost in order to be useful.
Therefore, IoT devices have only short range communication capabilities,
such as Bluetooth low energy (BLE). BLE chips are very inexpensive, and using BLE chips makes mass production of IoT devices feasible.
You need an IoT gateway to connect multiple local BLE devices to the remote cloud server. One Bluetooth IoT gateway can collect data from hundreds of devices,
making the entire IoT system cost effective.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) IoT Gateway For Asset Tracking And Conditions Monitoring
A Bluetooth low energy (BLE) IoT gateway is a part of the QR Inventory
IoT asset tracking system.
The system comes with the optional
temperature and humidity monitoring.
You can also use this gateway as a stand alone product for your custom IoT projects. We can customize an
IoT gateway software to your requirements if needed.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) IoT Gateway Features
BLE Gateway With Edge Data Processing
A gateway processes data from BLE tags and sensors in place, and sends only updates to the back end cloud software.
Processing Asset Tracking Data Locally
Each BLE gateway can track hundreds of assets. As a rule, between scan periods only a few assets are moved in or out, or nothing is changed.
It would be a waste of resources to send data on hundreds of assets each scan period. Therefore, a gateway
saves all data internally, processes results and sends only updates to the back end cloud software.
No Loss Of Data
Asset tracking data are not removed from the IoT gateway until data are successfully sent to a back end cloud software. If there is an interruption
in the internet connection no data are lost.
Instant Alerts On Misplaced Assets
A Bluetooth IoT gateway manages misplaced assets alerts. Each alert is sent only once, and then another alert is sent when the problem is fixed.
Custom IoT Gateway Configuration
You can configure a Bluetooth IoT gateway by logging into it locally, or, if your network allows it, remotely via a cloud software web interface.
Set Timing Of The BLE Scans
Set how often IoT gateway should scan for the BLE tags, and the time period between the scans. If your assets are rarely moved in and out,
periods between the scans can be longer. If your assets are constantly moving, you can set very short intervals between the scans.
Set How Often Asset Data Are Sent To The Cloud Server
Whether you sent data to the back end cloud software each several minutes or several times per day, you will get an accurate timing of
asset moving in or out.
Set Max Gateway Scan Distance
If you only need to detect assets that are at a certain distance from the IoT gateway, you can set a max scan distance. This option helps you
get more granular assets location within the large area, such as a large warehouse, hospital or an office building.
Set Alerts On Misplaced Assets
Set and receive alerts if an asset was removed from the area where it should be, or was moved in the area were it is not supposed to be.
You can set alerts for the individual assets, or asset groups.
Set Different Timing Intervals Depending On The Day And Time
You may want to receive asset tracking data more often during work hours, or during the peak hours when assets are moving in and out.
During the slow times, when everything
is mostly static, you can set bigger intervals between scans, and send data to the back end cloud software less frequently.
Use Bluetooth IoT Gateway For Gates Monitoring
You can set up a Bluetooth gateway to monitor gates or doors in the area. This will allow you to track which assets were moved
through the specific gates, when, and who moved an asset in or out.
Increase Asset Accountability With The Employee Tracking
Label service trucks with BLE tags, or give company employees BLE badges - and you will know not only when an asset entered
or left the area, but who took it in or out and through which gates. An IoT gateway
will automatically match an employee or a truck with the assets.
Track Assets Moving Through The Gates
If you designate an asset tracking gateway as an "exit gateway", it will:
- Constantly scan for the assets and trucks or employees moving through the gates
- Match assets with an employee or a truck
- Try to eliminate stationary assets from the tracking
You get a report on which assets where moved through the gates, when, and who took them in or out.
Temperature And Humidity Monitoring
Optionally you can use Bluetooth IoT gateway for remotely monitoring temperature and humidity for the sensitive assets and inventory. Get digital data logs for the monitored locations, as well
as for the individual assets.
Use A Single IoT Gateway For Asset Tracking And Conditions Monitoring
If your assets or inventory are sensitive to temperature or humidity variations, you can use a single Bluetooth IoT gateway
for asset tracking and conditions monitoring. Install
BLE sensors
in the zones where assets or inventory is stored, and you will get a temperature and humidity logs for each asset you
want to monitor, based on the asset location and movements.
Configure Temperature And Humidity Monitoring Parameters
As with the asset tracking, you can configure how often the data are sent to the back end cloud software.
You can also configure a temperature and humidity step in order to avoid recording multiple data points of the same value.
Alternatively, you can elect to record all measurements.
Alerts On The Out Of Range Data
Set acceptable temperature and humidity conditions on the locations, as well as on the individual assets or asset groups.
Receive instant alert when conditions go out of range, and fix the situation ASAP.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) IoT Gateway Uses
Business use cases for Bluetooth IoT gateway.
Asset Tracking
BLE IoT gateways help you track assets tagged with BLE tags in designated locations (warehouse, shop, yard, job site, office, service truck, etc.).
Company employees do not need to do any extra work, such as scanning and data recording. Since there is no human involvement in asset tracking,
there is less possibility of an error or mix up.
Authorized system users can check up to the minute location of any asset, assets movement history,
how long an asset has been at each site and how long it has been out of all trackable locations, identify missing assets and when / where it was last seen.
All report are accessible from anywhere via a cloud software web dashboard.
❱❱ More On Bluetooth IoT Asset Tracking
Identifying Misplaced And Missing Assets
Bluetooth IoT gateway helps you control assets that should or should not be at specific locations.
You can set the rules for individual assets, or for asset groups and get instant alert from a gateway if these rules are violated.
Production Process / WIP Tracking
You can use a Bluetooth IoT gateway for an automated tracking of the manufacturing work orders as they go through the production process.
A BLE gateway at each production station can detect work orders tagged with the BLE tags as they arrive and leave the station,
and send data to the back end cloud software.
Authorized IoT system users can review live status of everything in production, as well as production history of the current and past work orders.
❱❱ More On Bluetooth Production Tracking
Remote Temperature And Humidity Monitoring
Along with the asset tracking, a Bluetooth IoT gateway can read data from the BLE sensors.
You can use it to remotely monitor temperature and humidity conditions for assets and inventory on the dispersed sites through a single web dashboard.
Authorized IoT system users can review digital temperature and humidity logs, and get instant alerts if the
conditions go outside of the pre-set range.
❱❱ More On Temperature And Humidity Monitoring
