In the final thesis, the use of Lora and GPS technology to develop a tracking device is analysed and the production process is explained. Lora is a digital wireless data communication technology. Devices using this technology are energy efficient, they achieve long range connectivity and are mostly used in the development of networks that are known under the umbrella term »Internet of Things« (IoT). Since the number of devices in these networks increases dramatically every year, the main focus of this thesis is a description of Lora technology. Moreover, the tracking capability and geolocation option are welcome in many end nodes, which makes the use of a GPS module a sensible choice. In order to collect and process data, the open Lora network referred to as The Things Network (TTN) is used, which can be accessed through publicly accessible network gateways.
The thesis begins with a brief description of the entire Lora technology. It continues with a description of the communication, which was divided into two levels over time. First, we analyse the lower level, which is called Lora and deals with the radio part. A brief description of the spread spectrum modulations is given, followed by a description of the Lora modulation and an explanation of the common concepts associated with it. The chapter continues with the Lora package structure. Since the module containing the SX1276 chip is used, its characteristics and its sending and receiving procedures are described, which must be followed properly for successful communication. The thesis then describes the second layer, which is called LoraWAN. There we can read about the available communication methods and the frame structure of this layer, which has to be properly assembled and then transmitted to the lower layer. Regulations that impose certain restrictions are also mentioned. The communication overview concludes with a chapter that reviews the TTN network architecture. The meaning of the elements, which together form the network, and their functions are presented. The registration process and additional options that the network offers to facilitate the integration of our device with the application are also described. Before the production process section, a brief description of the selected GPS module and the explanation of the data needed for the project is given.
The last chapter is devoted to the implementation of the project. It describes a conscise theory of antennas, the production process, and the related measurements. This is followed by the design and production of the end product. The circuit design, steps of production and implementation of program code, which is completely contained in the appendix, are explained. Finally, a test of the product is presented and, based on the measurements taken, an opinion on the future of Lora technology is given.
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