Edge Gateway Systems in Industrial IoT

17 January 2025 - 17 mins read time
Tags: Edge Computing IIoT Gateway

Smart Edge Gateway Platform
AWS Greengrass (V2)
Azure IoT Edge

Smart Edge Gateway Platform

An IoT smart Gateway platform serves as a central node in the IoT ecosystem, enabling seamless data transfer and communication between various devices and the cloud. By converting several protocols, it fosters interoperability by aggregating, processing, and translating data from many sources. Through the facilitation of localized decision-making, the reduction of latency, and the enhancement of energy efficiency, this platform improves real-time responsiveness.

IoT Edge Things: The platform starts with IoT edge things, which are devices or sensors that collect data from the physical world. These can include temperature sensors, humidity sensors, motion detectors, and more.
Field Connectors: The IoT edge things are connected to field connectors, which are specialized modules that enable communication between the devices and the smart gateway. Field connectors can be wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) or wired (e.g., Ethernet).
Smart Gateway: The field connectors connect to a smart gateway, which is a central hub that manages data exchange between all connected devices. The smart gateway acts as an intermediary between the IoT edge things and the cloud or other networks.
Cloud Connectors: The smart gateway connects to cloud connectors, which are specialized modules that enable communication with the cloud or other networks. Cloud connectors can be wireless (e.g., cellular) or wired (e.g., Ethernet).
IoT Platform Services: The cloud connectors connect to IoT platform services, which provide a range of features and functionalities for managing and analyzing data from the connected devices. These services may include data storage, analytics, machine learning, and more.
Data Flow: Here’s how data flows through the system:
- Sensor Data Collection: IoT edge things collect sensor data (e.g., temperature, humidity) from the physical world.
- Field Connector Communication: The field connectors transmit the sensor data to the smart gateway.
- Smart Gateway Processing: The smart gateway processes and filters the sensor data, removing any unnecessary or redundant information.
- Cloud Connector Transmission: The smart gateway transmits the processed data to the cloud connectors.
- IoT Platform Services: The cloud connectors connect to IoT platform services, which store, analyze, and provide insights on the collected data.

AWS Greengrass (V2)

AWS IoT Services

Device software

Device software refers to the operating system, middleware, or applications that run on an IoT device and provide its functionality. It enables devices to interact with other devices, sensors, and actuators in real-time, making it possible for them to collect data, perform computations, and control physical processes.
- FreeRTOS: An open-source real-time operating system (RTOS) for microcontrollers. It provides a lightweight and efficient way to manage tasks and resources on small devices.
- AWS IoT Device SDKs: Software development kits (SDKs) that provide a set of libraries and tools for developing applications on various platforms, including AWS IoT Core. They enable developers to interact with the cloud and other devices using a specific programming language or framework.
- AWS IoT Greengrass: A service that allows developers to run local applications and perform processing on edge devices, such as those in remote locations where connectivity is limited. It enables real-time data processing and decision-making closer to the source of the data.
- AWS IoT Device Tester: A tool that helps developers test and validate their IoT device code before deployment. It provides a simulated environment for testing device connections, communication protocols, and application logic.

Connectivity & Control Services

The Connectivity and Control services provide a secure, reliable connection between IoT devices and AWS services, enabling real-time monitoring, management, and automation of IoT deployments.
- AWS IoT Core: A managed cloud service that allows connected devices to easily and securely interact with the cloud and other devices.
- AWS IoT Device Management: Offers features such as device registration, monitoring, and management capabilities to ensure reliable and secure operations.
- AWS IoT Device Defender: Helps protect against unauthorized access attempts and ensures that devices are running the correct software versions. It also monitors and analyzes data from connected devices to identify potential security threats.

Analytics Services

AWS IoT SiteWise: A fully managed service that collects, stores, and analyzes operational data from industrial equipment and machines. It provides a centralized platform for monitoring, analyzing, and optimizing asset performance.
AWS IoT Analytics: A cloud-based analytics service designed specifically for IoT applications. It enables real-time processing of large amounts of data generated by connected devices, providing insights into device behavior, trends, and patterns.
AWS IoT Events: A fully managed event-driven service that allows developers to create rules based on device data, enabling real-time alerts, notifications, and actions when specific conditions are met. It provides a scalable and secure way to manage events generated by connected devices.
AWS IoT Things Graph: A graph-based query language for IoT applications that enables efficient querying of large amounts of device data. It allows developers to define relationships between devices, assets, and resources, making it easier to analyze and visualize complex IoT systems.