An IoT Glossary: Definitions of 10 Terms You Need to Know to Understand the Internet of Things
By Bill Dykas
July 30, 2021
Platforms
The Internet of Things (IoT) describes a smart device network using the internet to enhance human life. Think of a refrigerator that tells you when you’re low on orange juice or a vehicle fitted with various sensors that alert your phone when a tire’s air is low. These use cases are only two of a limitless number of potential IoT applications.
IoT is the use of various interconnected technologies. These technologies let users know something quickly or automate manual processes. The efficiency gains from IoT are making it ubiquitous in domestic, industrial and corporate settings.
If you’re looking to leap into IoT enablement for your organization, there is some lingo you’ll need to know before you begin. Let’s explore the top 10 terms associated with the growing IoT movement.
1. IoT Cloud Platform
IoT cloud platforms are customized, cloud-hosted software services that enable IoT functionality and applications. IoT providers develop these platforms based on a company’s specific connectivity needs. They include elements needed to gather, analyze and process data from IoT-enabled devices and housed in the IoT provider’s cloud storage. Access to an IoT cloud platform is typically available through a subscription model. In these models, a company pays the IoT provider for access to the platform they created.
2. Edge Computing
Most IoT applications rely on devices connecting to the cloud (i.e., an external source) for computing and analytics. Technological advancements make it possible to perform those functions on devices without sacrificing budget or efficiency. They reduce the cost of backhauling all IoT data to the cloud. This ability to perform advanced on-device processing is known as “edge computing.” Consider it the complement to “cloud computing.”
3. Mobile IoT (MIoT)
As IoT grows, the mobile industry has adapted by developing a cellular technology class to support MIoT requirements. MIoT refers to a cellular low-power wide-area (LPWA). Cellular LPWA will be impactful in connecting new IoT devices and servicing various industries and applications. Telit is among a handful of industry pioneers manufacturing MIoT modules.
4. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
BLE is an update on traditional Bluetooth technology allowing for a safer, lower-cost short-range network. This network is commonly used to pair health-tracking wearables with users’ cell phones and install location trackers on household devices. BLE allows these devices to be found when they’re within network range.
5. IoT Protocol
An IoT protocol is the language two or more machines use to communicate with each other. These languages contain rules to help them connect and decipher each other’s messages and figure out how to act on their exchanged signals. Common protocols include:
6. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
GNSS is a standard term describing satellite navigation systems providing autonomous geospatial positioning with global coverage. A device with GNSS access means technologies get accuracy, redundancy and availability at all times. If a connection to one satellite fails, another can be picked up in seconds, often without lapses or delays.
7. Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT)
NB-IoT is a cellular LPWA technology developed to enable a broad range of new IoT devices and services. NB-IoT allows for low-cost IoT enablement. It broadens IoT’s potential uses, making it fiscally feasible to connect everything from parking meters to pet leashes.
8. Quality of Service (QoS)
A QoS measurement conveys how well a service is performed. In IoT, the term describes network performance in supporting IoT connectivity. Factors in arriving at a QoS include:
- Connection availability
- Transmission delay
- Information loss
9. Mesh Network
Mesh networks are multinode structures that connect through multiple routers. These connections tend to be direct, dynamic and not based on an inherent hierarchy. They are agile enough to adapt to various networking conditions to relay data efficiently. Mesh networks’ ability to self-configure means they can recover from failed nodes without needing external maintenance and handle long-range transmission. They are a good fit for enterprise IoT applications, which need to remain reliable even at a large scale.
10. Telematics
A telematics platform is a computer system dealing with long-distance transmissions of data. An example would be the consoles installed in many automobiles that can provide GPS and satellite radio functions.
These terms should get you started on your IoT research. Refer back as you navigate through the rest of our articles. Reach out to Telit to discuss how our customized IoT enablement solutions can help transform your business.
Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published on 5 February 2018 and has since been updated.
