The industrial internet of things (IIoT) is the use of smart sensors and actuators to enhance manufacturing and industrial processes. Also known as the industrial internet or Industry 4.0, IIoT uses the power of smart machines and real-time analytics to take advantage of the data that "dumb machines" have produced in industrial settings for years. The driving philosophy behind IIoT is that smart machines are not only better than humans at capturing and analyzing data in real time, but they're also better at communicating important information that can be used to drive business decisions faster and more accurately.

Connected sensors and actuators enable companies to pick up on inefficiencies and problems sooner, saving time and money, while supporting business intelligence efforts. In manufacturing, specifically, IIoT holds great potential for quality control, sustainable and green practices, supply chain traceability, and overall supply chain efficiency. In an industrial setting, IIoT is key to processes such as predictive maintenance, enhanced field service, energy management, and asset tracking.

Source: Definition provided by TechTarget, by Brien Posey, Linda Rosencrance, https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/Industrial-Internet-of-Things-IIoT

LoRa^® (short for “Long Range”) is a radio frequency (RF) technology, and LoRaWAN^® is the protocol for low-power wireless networking. LoRaWAN^® is designed to transmit small amounts of data from low-power devices over long distances or in industrial settings.

Standards for LoRa^®/LoRaWAN^® are maintained by the LoRa Alliance^®. LoRaWAN^® is part of a family called LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network). LoRaWAN^® networks can be managed as either public or private networks.

SCADA (“Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition”) systems generally require constant power and are well-suited for large, complex industrial operations requiring real-time, continuous, two-way communication. LoRaWAN^® is a complementary technology that gathers data inexpensively and is most frequently used for monitoring the condition or state of various equipment or processes. It is easily scalable and straightforward to deploy. SCADA and LoRaWAN^® are frequently used in conjunction with each other in industrial settings.

Volley Boast’s VoBo product line is designed to connect to and, in many cases, provide power to wired sensors and transmitters provided by the customer. The VoBo integrates wired instrumentation with wireless LoRaWAN^® networks. The VoBo is sensor-agnostic and can collect data from any sensor with a common industrial signal protocols. See VoBo datasheets for details.

Volley Boast can provide guidance to customers in their selection of instrumentation and also vet the compatibility of existing instrumentation the customer may wish to connect to a LoRaWAN^®.

The VoBo is an industrial-grade device designed to integrate wired instrumentation into a LoRaWAN^® network in harsh and hazardous environments. The VoBo’s unparalleled flexibility allows almost any industrial instrumentation to be used in a wireless network. Exclusive features like VoBoSync and VoBoAnalytics further differentiate the VoBo from other LoRaWAN^® endpoints.

All VoBos are designed and manufactured in Houston, TX, USA, from globally sourced materials.

The VoBo HL-1 has been LoRa Alliance^®-tested and certified. All VoBos use the same radio chipset and firmware. Although not all models have been tested, all are functionally equivalent when it comes to operating in compliance with the LoRaWAN^® protocol.

All VoBos are IP66/NEMA 4X rated for harsh outdoor environments. VoBos are available certified for hazardous area use. See the VoBo datasheets for a full list of certifications.

VoBos are shipped with 3.6 V Saft LSH20lithium-thionyl chloride batteries. Replacement batteries are not specific to the VoBo and can be procured from any number of vendors and installed by the customer.

Volley Boast recommends the Saft LSH20 for the best performance in a wide range of applications, and mandatory for applications where the VoBo GP-1/HL-1 is supplying the power for the transmitter. This recommendation includes 4-20mA loop-powered transmitters.

For applications where the VoBo XX is not supplying power to the transmitter, any of the replacement batteries listed below is acceptable.

• Saft LS33600
• Tadiran TL-2300
• Tadiran TL-5930

Battery life depends on a many factors such as the type of sensors used, how long the sensors need to be powered to take an accurate reading, how often readings are taken, and a few other factors. Under most use cases, a 13 Ahr battery will last  2 or even 5 years depending on the combination of these factors.

The Volley Boast Customer Portal has a battery life estimation tool where VoBo configuration scenarios can be run to calculate battery life.

Battery-powered VoBo GP-1, HL-1, and TC models do not have the option to run on external power. The VoBo XP, however, is designed for 8-24VDC external power.

The VoBo can provide power to your sensors; the number depends on the VoBo model, the type of sensor, and the sensor power requirements. The VoBo GP-1/HL-1 and XP can accept analog, digital, and serial inputs, up to 8 input channels. The VoBo TC can accept up to 12 thermocouple input channels.

The maximum power available to power sensors using the Saft LSH20 is 750 mW. See Understanding the Power Budget of Battery-Powered VoBos for more information.

Some common sensor configurations are below.

1. 1. 4-20mA Analog sensors.
      1. Up to three 4-20mA sensors can be read by the VoBo GP-1 and HL-1. The total power available to the sensors is 750mW. Since the sensor voltage requirement is typically specified as a range of voltage, it may be necessary to adjust the applied voltage in order to have enough total current available to power the sensors.
      2. If a 4-20mA sensor is powered externally (to the VoBo), it requires almost no power from the VoBo and would not enter into the calculation of the total current required from the VoBo.
   2. 0-5V and 0-10V Analog sensors.
      1. Up to three voltage output sensors can be read by the VoBo GP-1/ HL-1 and XP. The total power available to the sensors is 750mW.
      2. If the voltage output sensor is self-powering, it requires no power from the VoBo and would not enter into the calculation of total current required of the VoBo.
   3. Discrete (digital) switches.
      1. Up to three dry contact or voltage switches/relays (including solid state relays) can be read by the VoBo GP-1 and HL-1. If configured for voltage, a high value of 1 is for voltages greater than 2.4V, and a low value of 0 is for voltages less than 0.8V.
      2. The wakeup input can accept a dry contact switch or relay, except for solid state relays.
   4. Modbus^® RTU serial devices.
      1. The VoBo GP-1/HL-1 and XP have one RS485 serial input, which in the standard configuration can read (16 or 32 bit) registers from one Modbus^® RTU device.
      2. The multiple Modbus^® RTU read/write option allows more than one daisy-chained Modbus^® RTU device to be read by and written to.
   5. Thermocouple Temperature sensors.
      1. The VoBo TC is specifically designed for thermocouple sensors and can read up to 12 thermocouples per VoBo.
   6. RTD Temperature sensors.
      1. The VoBo TR is specifically designed for RTD sensors and can read up to 6 RTD (2, 3, or 4 wire) temperature sensors per VoBo. The VoBo TR is in development.
   7. Hart^®/4-20mA sensors.
      1. An optional feature on the VoBo XB enables it to interface with HART^®/4-20mA devices on its 3 analog input channels. The VoBo XB is in development; a preliminary data sheet is available on the VoBo XB product page.
   8. Other sensors via interface.
      1. Interfaces/adapters exist for many other sensors which produce an analog, digital, or serial output that the VoBo can accept. Interfaces to a 4-20mA transmitter are common.
      2. The interfaces from sensor to Modbus^® RTU in particular provide exceptional flexibility for the quantity and type of sensor input to the VoBo.

Yes. The VoBo XP can count and totalize pulses continuously on its 2 digital input channels. The VoBo GP-1/HL-1 can count and totalize pulses intermittently for up to 60 seconds per cycle.

The VoBo XB is in development and will offer a HART®/4-20 mA interface on each of its 3 analog channels.

Yes. The VoBo can read and transmit 32-bit register numbers. For more information, see the article Manage 32-bit Numbers with VoBo.

The VoBo XP has 4 digital output channels that can be used to activate lights or relays via a downlink command or on-board logic analytics.

VoBos will work with any LoRaWAN^® gateway and network that meets the LoRa Alliance^® standards.

Yes, device profiles and the VoBo Decoder for VoBo models are currently available on Actility, Orbiwise, Loriot, and The Things Stack LoRaWAN^® network servers. The VoBo decoder is also available for download in the Volley Boast Customer Portal.

There are several options to configure your VoBo.

1. Locally connected.
   1. The most common method is to configure it locally, before deployment, connected to a computer using a Volley Boast USB-to-RS232 configuration cable. A terminal emulator such as PuTTY can be used to communicate with the VoBo, using the serial menu to make changes to the parameters.
   2. The new Volley Boast Configuration Tool can be downloaded from the Volley Boast Customer Portal and used to change and save a configuration using a graphical interface.
2. Over the air.
   1. On a deployed VoBo, a downlink sent through the LoRaWAN^® network server over the air can make changes to configuration parameters.
   2. A downlink can be sent to prompt the VoBo to send all or a subset of its configuration parameters in a payload.
3. Pre-installed configuration.
   1. Volley Boast can work with you to determine the configuration needed for your application and pre-install it on your new VoBo. There is an additional charge for pre-installed configurations.

Not all ports are available for downlink commands; some ports are reserved for analytics downlinks. It is a good practice to always use port 10 for downlink commands.

Absolutely. As long as you comply with laws, codes, and your particular industrial regulations, you can easily install VoBos on your own equipment. See the model-specific VoBo installation manual available in the Volley Boast Customer Portal. LoRa^® radios operate in the unlicensed radio spectrum, which means an FCC license is not required to operate a LoRa^® network. The Volley Boast team will be happy to provide guidance.

When the VoBo does not have a gateway connection or is placed in offline mode, it functions as a data logger. Logged data can be recovered locally with a serial connection.

Yes, by utilizing the optional VoBoSync, the exact time at which sensor measurements are taken is coordinated between VoBos. 

Yes, by utilizing the optional VoBoAnalytics, sensor measurements can be collected at regular intervals, the VoBo analyzes the data, and if the condition is met, it sends a notification payload.

Yes. VoBo’s come with a default configuration that can be user-modified directly with a configuration cable connecting the VoBo to your computer or by sending downlinks through the LoRaWAN^® network server. For direct configuration, a terminal application or the VoBoConfig Tool can be used to make configuration parameter changes. The VoBoConfig Tool can be downloaded in the Volley Boast Customer Portal.

For customizations beyond changing standard configuration parameters, VoBoAnalytics can change how the VoBo reads, processes, and reports sensor data.

Yes. The VoBo API allows your proprietary analytics (in C or C++) to remain private and access the VoBo functions through an API.

The Volley Boast Customer Portal has the documentation and tools to support VoBo deployments.  The Portal map below outlines the available functions.

Tools

VoBo Configurator - generates a downlink payload for any VoBo model and firmware in JSON and Hex formats, which can be copied and pasted into your LoRaWAN network server to make changes to the VoBo configuration over the air.

Battery Calculator - estimates the expected battery life for VoBo XX (GP-1, HL-1) and VoBo TC based on the operating parameters input.

Payload Decoder - decodes a Hex or Base64 VoBo payload.

String Manipulation - converts a copied and pasted character string to remove special characters or change to all upper case or all lower case.

Sensor Formula - creates the formula to convert raw ADC counts from the VoBo analog channels into the sensor’s engineering unit output.  Engineering unit conversion can also be done on the VoBo.

Engineering Units Parameters - supplies the engineering unit configuration parameters based on sensor type, two sensor datapoints, and the desired engineering units.

Documentation

General - contains portal usage terms and conditions.

Products - contains documentation for all products and versions (datasheets, installation manuals, user manuals, configuration parameter spreadsheets, etc.).

Certificates - contains certification records for VoBo products.

Downloads

Public Downloads - contains the current and prior Payload Decoders and the VoBoConfig Tool.

Private Downloads - contains VoBo device keys by order. Device keys only appear if permission has been requested and granted for the portal user.

Notices

Important communications on VoBo products and firmware.

VoBo Help Desk

Support ticketing system for customer inquiries including General Product Inquiry, Billing Questions, Configuration Questions, and more.

Account Information

Edit user account information.

You can purchase here, directly on our website. Corporate accounts and integrators: please contact us at info@volleyboast.com or call us at +1 250-412-5679.