protocol selection

[Sama]

Hi,

We want to implement a smart energy meter by using a mesh network including 200 nodes (nrf52840).
What is your suggested protocol to do this?

Thank you in advance.

Br,

Sama

[Hung Bui]

Hi Sama, 

Could you give some more information about your application: 

- What's the data rate from a node ? Which kind of data you are collecting ?

- How are the nodes located ? Do you have an infrastructure that cover the area ? 

- How should the network be connected to the internet ? Do you need to access to each node from outside ?

- I assume the nodes are fixed and won't move ? 

[Sama]

Hi Hung,

Thank you for your reply.

We are going to collect Energy and electrical parameters from home energy meters every 15 minutes.

 

Homes are close to each other and the nodes will be 100 feet from each other. Each node is close to the next node in 100 feet maximum.

 

No, internet. We are going to use one server per about 200 nodes to collect all data from nodes.

 

Yes, nodes are fixed

Br,

Sama

[Hung Bui]

Hi Sama, 

How about the power supply ? Are you planning to let the meter running on battery or on main power ? 

What about the location when the device is installed ? Is it underground, in electrical box ? Or it's light of sight between nodes ? 

If you don't plan to have IP on each node , Bluetooth Mesh would be a good option here. But I would suggest you to discuss to one of our Sales presentative to have local support. Could you let me know your location ? (country & city) 

[Sama]

Hi,

We use the main power. 

Some of them are in behind the wall and some with no wall around them. 

This is a prototype and we are going to test that. 

Br,

Sama

[Hung Bui]

Hi again Sama, 

I would suggest to go with the Bluetooth Mesh protocol. You have two option, if you are familiar with our nRF5 SDK you can go with NRF5 SDK for Mesh. The second option is to go with the new platform called nRF Connect SDK. You can find the mesh example in the SDK at \nrf\samples\bluetooth\mesh. 

We have stopped the development with nRF5 SDK but it still supported. But if you want to develop new product and expect to expand with new feature and have future proof, I would suggest to go with nRF Connect SDK.