Abeeway

Abeeway was formed in 2014 in Meylan, near Grenoble, France, birthed from the introduction of LoRa, a wireless data communication technology developed by Cycleo, a Grenoble-based company, acquired by Semtech in 2012. Since its first LoRaWAN tracker in 2015, Abeeway has continuously improved IoT tracking solutions, developing the first patented Low-power GPS (A-GPS for IOT) device as well as data aggregation to optimize localization and power consumption. Abeeway products are available for every LoRaWAN network, but becoming part of Actility's allowed Abeeway to leverage its global reach to satisfy the massive market demand for IoT location use cases. Embedded sensors combining GPS, Low-power GPS, Wi-Fi Sniffer, BLE and LoRaWAN TDoA geolocation technologies, supporting accurate and continuous outdoor and indoor geolocation.

LoRaWAN/GPS/WiFi Location Overview

GPS is the same technology in car navigation systems or a smart phone. It relies on receiving timing signals from multiple satellites in orbit around our planet. Location accuracy can be as good as a couple of meters. But this depends on getting signal from a lot of satellites. 10m accuracy is the generally accepted level for standard GPS. GPS can be quite power hungry, even though GPS is a "receive only"; system. It uses more power because it takes a long time (minutes rather than seconds or even milliseconds) to lock on to multiple satellites. It is free to use and has global coverage. GPS works best outdoors. Inside a building it can work near a window, but GPS is generally recommended for tracking over long distances, e.g. monitoring fleet vehicles or keeping track of escaped pets.

LP-GPS (low power GPS) is a proprietary technology developed by Abeeway, specifically for their Micro Tracker. It requires the use of Abeeway's own software platform. Most of the location processing is done on a server instead of the device itself. This means that time, CPU usage and battery power is saved.

WiFi Sniffing provides reasonably accurate device location by triangulating surrounding WiFi networks. Because WiFi networks are ubiquitous, products are within range of several networks almost anywhere - except remote or rural areas. Google and Apple collect the IDs and locations of WiFi networks anonymously and smartphones make use of this data to determine location faster than waiting for a GPS lock. Smartphones also collect this data to send back to Apple and Google.

The Abeeway Tracker makes use of this technology to get fairly accurate location by sensing WiFi networks in range. TheTtracker sends the IDs of nearby these WiFi networks to a LoRaWAN Network Server. The tracker doesn't actually connect to any WiFi network, it simply scans for their IDs. Each WiFi network broadcasts its ID numbers and the Tracker senses RSSI signal strengths for each network for use in calculating a more accurate location. The ID data needs to be interpreted into a location (latitude & longitude). Google provides an API to their mapping system called GeoLocate which converting WiFi network names into real location latitude and longitude, similar to GPS.

"True" LoRaWAN GPS The Abeeway Micro Tracker is a pocket-sized geolocation device that supports multiple location technologies. This small battery powered unit can either be put in a pocket, attached to a key-ring or put inside an unshielded object. This LoRaWAN GPS tracker has an internal rechargeable battery which gives up to 14 days of life depending on use. It has a single front button which is used to switch the device between different modes or to trigger a geolocation event.

Use Cases

Airport Asset Management and Tracking

Asset Management Solution

People

Personal Tracking Solution

Tracking for Construction and Public Works

Tracking for Livestock and Farming

Tracking and Mining

Track and Trace

Tracking for Warehouse and Indoor Facilities