Mixing RF and PLC technology for high-performance multi-service smart metering, smart grid and IoT platforms Daniel POPA, PhD Itron Technology Center, CTO Office

WSPLC - September 2015

AGENDA

Summary

Itron presentation

Technology transformation

ACT RIVA technology: mixing RF & PLC for future proof IPv6 solutions

Open research areas

3

SUMMARY

Simplified deployment (low CAPEX)

Planning, Install & Initial field optimization (phase selection for PLC)

Low cost of operation (OPEX)

Self-healing: “fast” recovery from (router) failure w/o human intervention

Self-balancing: network load balancing

Self-optimization: best performance at any time

Assured connectivity (99%+) due to increased link diversity

There will always be weak PLC and/or RF links

Highest possible speed while maximizing network coverage

Multi-utility platform

RF links for gas, water, heat meters

IoT-ready platform

RF links to connect IP sensors to the network

Why RF and PLC mix is important for utilities (and beyond)?

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MESH NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE FOR MIXED RF AND PLC SOLUTIONS

IEEE 802.15.4/4e/4g (RF link) (2012)

IEEE 1901.2 (narrowband PLC) (2013)

IEEE 802.1x (for authentication - EAPOL)

IEEE 802.11 key management

IETF RPL routing protocol

IETF IPv6 networking protocols

IETF EAP-TLS

L1-L4 Interoperability profiles

WiSUN for RF interface

HomePlug Netricity for PLC interface

Everything is available for the foundation of smart city and IoT

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TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE FOR SMART GRID SOLUTIONS

ITRON PRESENTATION

INDUSTRY LEADER IN COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES & SOLUTIONS FOR ENERGY AND WATER UTILITIES

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110mln COMMUNICATION

MODULES

(RF, PLC, Cellular)

8,000 + CUSTOMERS IN 130 COUNTRIES

8,000+ EMPLOYEES

2.2bn 2012 REVENUE USD

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION

THE MOBILE PHONE REVOLUTION Communications and Applications

2010

BASIC MOBILE PHONE & SMS

SMART PHONE: Eco-system for non-Telco-voice

applications – transact, navigate communicate share, device control, data access,

new business streams

INTERNET

Vs

4 years

2014

9

?

HOW TO REVOLUTIONISE SMART METERING ?

Yesterday

Vs

Today

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Communications and Applications

Itron Riva™ BASIC METERING

FUNCTIONS

SMART METER: Eco-system for smart metering, smart

grid, distributed intelligence & analytics, smart city and IoT

applications

IPv6

With communication infrastructure covering city/region/nation wide areas, utilities are well placed to be a key player in smart city & IoT market

ITRON RIVA ACT TECHNOLOGY

THE SYSTEM VIEW

MDM

Field Area Network (FAN)

Neighborhood area network (NAN)

Smart IPv6 Devices

WAN Backhaul

IPv6 RF/PLC Mesh

MDM Security Infrastructure

Security network infrastructure

Network Management System

Asset Visualization

Topology Discovery

Comm. Firmware Download

Diagnostics Outage and Restoration

Config. Management

Security Management

Perf.Metric Collection

Monitoring of Network status

AAA/ RADIUS

Security appliances

Grid Devices

Meters Distributed Generation and Storage

Electric Vehicles

In-Home Devices

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E2E NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE: FEATURES & SERVICES

IEEE link-layer cryptography

(encryption and authentication)

(RF&PLC)

IEEE link-layer cryptography

(encryption and authentication)

(RF & PLC)

IEEE link-layer cryptography

(encryption and authentication)

(RF & PLC)

Border Router

AS Router

AAA/RADIUS, DNS, DHCPv6

DB

NMS

DB

MDM

IPv6 traffic

IPv4/IPv6 Internet

Utility IT LAN, or hosted services, or Cloud

Field router

Field router

Field router

IPv6 (V)LAN

IPv6 mesh

Field router is not a data concentrator but a real IP router The reality check for true end-to-end IPv6 network is to run ICMPv6 ping/traceroute from any head-end IPv6 device

ADAPTIVE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY An Intelligent Network

WHAT IS ADAPTATIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ACT)?

One Self Optimizing

Zero-Touch Deployment

Network

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Multiple RF Modulations

IEEE 802.15.4g (DSSS, FSK, OFDM)

Multiple-PLC Modulations

IEEE 1901.2 (8PSK/QPSK/BPSK/ROBO)

Single chipset (software defined radio)

A REVOLUTIONARY APPROACH TO COMMUNICATIONS

RF Mesh AND Power Line Carrier (PLC) Mesh on every device and in the same chipset

Network dynamically self-selects best communication path

Assured connectivity at highest possible speed

Simplified zero-touch deployment and reduced infrastructure

Performance to support smart grid and smart cities applications

Lower cost of ownership

SOLVING KEY CONNECTIVITY CHALLENGES

Lowest cost path to maximum device coverage

Delivers assured network connectivity

Simplified deployments: Planning, Install, Optimization, Maintenance

Extended range modulations: addresses fringe and hard to reach devices

High speed links: increased capacity and lower latency

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FLEXIBILITY FOR FUTURE APPLICATIONS The Internet of Things (IoT) enabled by IPv6 Multi-Service and ACT

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EASE OF DEPLOYMENT

Cost of Deployment

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Co

st /

Dif

ficu

lty

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Percentage Completion of Deployment

EASE OF DEPLOYMENT

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Co

st /

Dif

ficu

lty

20

Percentage Completion of Deployment

Flattening the cost curve

Adaptive Communications Technology

TRADITIONAL PLC VS ACT APPROACH

Traditional PLC Infrastructure Meters will mesh (or not) amongst each other,

but all comms are limited by LV network under each distribution area

At least 1 concentrator/router is needed for each distribution area

Distribution Area 1

HEAD-END

SYSTEM Cisco NMS

IEE MDM

RF Mesh

PLC

PLC Concentrator DT

Distribution Area 2

PLC Concentrator DT

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WAN Backhaul

TRADITIONAL PLC VS ACT APPROACH

ACT Infrastructure Meters will mesh amongst each other, either via

PLC or RF, without LV limiting, as the RF signal can cross from one distribution area to another

1 FAR (Field Area Router) would be able to manage comms with up to thousands of end-points

Distribution Area 1

DT

Distribution Area 2

DT

FAR

WAN Backhaul

RF Mesh

PLC

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HEAD-END

SYSTEM

FAILURE RECOVERY

DT

NAN 1

WAN Backhaul

RF Mesh

PLC

Distribution Area 1

DT

Distribution Area 2

DT

NAN 2

Distribution Area 3

DT

Distribution Area 4

ACT Infrastructure In case 1 FAR is out all meters previously

belonging to its network would find another path (another network) to reach other FARs

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HEAD-END

SYSTEM

DT

NAN 1

WAN Backhaul

RF Mesh

PLC

Distribution Area 1

DT

Distribution Area 2

DT

NAN 2

Distribution Area 3

DT

Distribution Area 4

ACT Infrastructure In case 1 FAR is out all meters previously

belonging to its NAN would find another path (another NAN) to reach other FARs

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HEAD-END

SYSTEM

FAILURE RECOVERY

OPEN RESEARCH AREAS

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A FEW OPEN TOPICS FOR RESEARCH

TCP over mesh network (studied in the past, but still an open area for research)

expectation is to have open source implementations to be made available to industry

Traffic analysis and mathematical modelling for mesh networks carrying smart metering & smart grid and in the future IoT traffic

Analytical models for performance analysis of mixed RF/PLC mesh networks

Fail-over/hand-over algorithms between different technologies

Efficient multicast routing & forwarding in mesh networks

multicast is an key feature for scale

Link Quality and Routing metrics for PLC

multiple-data PLC bit rates

channel variability, etc.

Etc.

QUESTIONS ?