Introduction to Sigfox, and first steps with the Pycom FiPy boards. Used for the GoInvent tour event in NYC, Sep 2019

1. Introduction to
Sigfox
Pycom Go Invent
New York City, Sep. 9th, 2019

2. About us
Nicolas Lesconnec Sigfox (global)
Head of Technology Adoption
Alberto Mannil – Sigfox USA
Innovation programs & early business development

3. SIGFOX is the world’s largest 0G Network…
3
IoT
Bringing the 4th
industrial revolution to all sectors
BACK-UP BROADBAND
Secondary connectivity & additional services for systems
using broadband networks
0G
Cost
efficient
Low
Power
Global
Network
…built as the most reliable and affordable
network to transmit small messages

4. The 0G message journey
A network for connected objects transporting the data from your device to your IT systems
CONFIDENTIAL 5
Customer ITBig Data
analytics
platforms
Object data
Partners with
specific
applications for
your business
Data storage
and intelligence
for verticals
Identification and
authentication
integrity
0 to 12-byte
messages
optimized for
sensor data
High capacity
network: over 1
million messages
per Base station
per day
0 to 140
messages per day
per device
Transmitted
through its radio
protocol on the
public spectrum
Global
network
SIGFOX
cloud

5. Global & Reliable
One contract, One network
Managed Network
with high Quality of Service
Highly resistant
to interference & jamming
Simple
One central system:
No pairing, no configuration
No connection
No protocol: the simplest
and most efficient link between
objects and the Internet
Overall TCO at lowest
Device: Enabling the simplest,
lowest cost radio chips
Network: One central network
Integration: comprehensive
API and IoT platform provider
Low Energy
Device in sleep mode
most of the time
Small messages (up to 12B)
Few messages per hour or day
Smart cooperation between
network and device 6
Unlocking the barriers to fuel Massive IoT deployments

6. USA Coverage
8

9. Coverage extension
• Micro Access Station are available
from Sigfox USA at $449
• Plug & play : Connect through
Ethernet, and feeds the live
network.
• Smaller capacity

10. Subscribe with Sigfox USA
• Exploration, prototyping with development kits
• Subscription is included, online activation in 2 mins
• Advanced prototyping , small scale projects (<1.000 u)
• Buy online through https://buy.sigfox.com
• +1.000 units deployments : speak to Alberto! J

11. Use cases Examples
13

12. Home Alarm System
CONFIDENTIAL 14
Alarms are traditionally connected through GSM to central system and
burglar intrusion can be facilitated by GSM jammers. There is a need for
effective backup connectivity to ensure more robust alarm transmissions.
§ Robustness of solution is a
commercial differentiator
§ Continuity of service
§ Soft deployment via over the
air update - no HW swap. No
user impact
§ Network available to handle
millions of devices
Sigfox has upgraded Securitas
Direct’s alarm systems to provide a
back-up connectivity in case
jamming is detected.
The upgrade was possible over the
air as a Sub-GHz chip was already
inside.
Challenge
BenefitsSolution

13. 21 % increase in factory
capacity
17% reduction in claims
from customers
23% reduction in
production waste
More control points (quality
system)
Better staff utilization and
reduction in energy
consumption
Concrete Monitoring
Sensohive has made a sensor
with external antenna that is
put in the wet concrete and
monitors the curing process.
The solution consists of:
ü Wireless temperature and
moist sensors
ü Live curing reports reports
ü Notification when concrete
is done hardening
ü IP68 casing
Challenge
BenefitsSolution
Improve drying time of cast concrete and optimize
factory production
15

14. • xDSL/Fiber setup box including alarm
system
• Back up communication channel in
case of failure of the primary link, or
power outage. Allows advanced
diagnostic by support.
1
6

15. Zoom on a business case
Intercontinental sea-freight tracking solution
17

16. Supply chain managers are blind
on part of their flows

17. Applied to the supply chain, IoT acts as magic
glasses with the ability to remove the fog.

18. CONFIDENTIAL 20
• Complexity to get information all
along the way.
• Strong dependency on shipping
companies
• Several days of latency on getting
notifications regarding events during
the flow.
• No real time: Outdated or no alerts in
case of delays.
1 expedition=28 stakeholders = 200 interactions
Initial thought – data generated from the monitoring of
intercontinental flows can be improved.

19. T/SPORT PORT
Export zone logistics Intercontinental logistics Import zone logistics
WH WH
• A tracker is
added to
the shipment
• Access to a platform
enabling to follow
orders
• The tracker
is taken out of
the container at
unloading
• Trackers are
sent back to be
reused
Container
loading
Shipment follow-up
Container
unloading
Trackers reverse
Generate an end to end visibility and real time
data on intercontinental shipping.
Complete disintermediation
Send data
when/where it
makes sense

20. Technology – Tell me more!
23

21. High Energy Efficiency
24
Designed to maximize energy
efficiency
No Pairing
15 to 45 mA during a few
seconds (25mW; 14dBm)
depending on the chip and the
size of the payload
Idle consumption: negligible
Idle state
Communication state
6 nA
30 mA
Current
Time
~6 sec
99.x% of the time
✓
✓
✓
✓
to offer maximum autonomy to remote objects

22. Small Messages
25
to answer the cost & autonomy constraints of remote objects
UPLINK
12-Byte payload
- Sensor data
- Event status
- GPS fix
- Application data
DOWNLINK
8-Byte payload
- Action / actuator trigger
- Device management
- Application parameter setting
10 % duty cycle for Base Stations
4 guaranteed downlink msg/day
SIGFOX
CLOUD

23. Ultra-Narrow Band
26
868.034 868.226
192 KHz wide
100 Hz
✓
✓
✓
Currently spreads on a 200KHz part of the spectrum
High spectrum efficiency 1bit/s = 1Hz of bandwidth
Each message is ~100Hz wide

24. High Network Capacity
27
0.00%
25.00%
50.00%
75.00%
100.00%
125.00%
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Success rate vs. input load
Pure non-slotted Aloha w/ spatial div. w/ repetitionsIndoor penetration
Nb of messages / station
>1M
other wireless
technologies
UNB
Frequency & Time
diversity
Spatial
diversity
+ + = Massive capacity &
High Quality of Service

25. Random Access
28
Unsynchronized transmission between the network and the device
The device transfers a small amount of energy on a random frequency with no protocol overhead (frequency hopping)
SIGFOX Base stations permanently listen to the spectrum and interpret received UNB signals
The same frame is sent 3 times enabling time and frequency diversity
Frame1 @F1
Frame2 @F2
Frame3 @F3
Uplink message
t1
t2
t3
2.08s for 12B payload
Frequency
Time
✓
✓
✓

26. Starter Program
33

27. The program is made to guide every
company in their Sigfox journey with
different kinds of support, from partners
benefits to learning content and platform
access, to ensure our partners have
everything they need to build their
product.
Starter
Program
It is free and open to everyone:
• Device makers
• Solution providers
• Platform providers
• IoT Platform & device resellers
• Channel partners
https://build.sigfox.com/starter-program

28. Let’s play !
Hands-on session

29. Setup & activation
39

30. Useful links
Slack community : https://builders.iotagency.sigfox.com
Sigfox resources : https://build.sigfox.com

31. Requirements
• SiPy/LoPy4/FiPy board
• Extension board
• Antenna with u.FL connector
• Micro-USB cable
• Atom IDE (atom.io) with pymakr plugin

32. Registration - Step 1
• Connect board to extension board
• Check the pinout: LED on same side as USB connector
• Connect antenna cable to the u.FL connector near
the LED (can be done later)
• Connect the micro-USB to your PC/Mac

33. Registration - Step 2
• Launch Firmware Tool
(https://docs.pycom.io/gettingstarted/installation/firmwaretool/
)
• Select the « stable » firmware
• Write down the Sigfox ID and PAC

34. Registration – Getting ID/PAC from board (Alt)
• Open Pymakr console and type in following lines
(https://docs.pycom.io/gettingstarted/registration/sigfox/)
• Alternatively, copy paste content in a .py file and click
“Run” from network import Sigfox
import binascii
# initialise Sigfox for RCZ1 (You may need a different RCZ
Region)
sigfox = Sigfox(mode=Sigfox.SIGFOX, rcz=Sigfox.RCZ1)
# print Sigfox Device ID
print(binascii.hexlify(sigfox.id()))
# print Sigfox PAC number
print(binascii.hexlify(sigfox.pac()))

35. Registration - Step 3
• Go to
https://buy.sigfox.com/activate/ to
register your board
• Select your country (USA)
• Enter the ID and PAC values
• Fill in form to create your account (or
login if you already have one)
Note: Double check your email address
during registration

36. Registration - Step 4
• Check your emails to create your backend
password
• Connect to backend.sigfox.com
• Verify that your board is correctly registered in
« Devices » section

37. Hello world
47

38. Sending your first message
# make the socket blocking
s.setblocking(True)
# configure it as uplink only
s.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SIGFOX,socket.SO_RX,
False)
# say something : raw bytes
s.send(bytes([0xCA, 0xFE]))
from network import Sigfox
import socket
# init Sigfox for RCZ2 (North America)
sigfox = Sigfox(mode=Sigfox.SIGFOX,
rcz=Sigfox.RCZ2)
# create a Sigfox socket
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_SIGFOX,
socket.SOCK_RAW)

39. Message received ?
https://backend.sigfox.com
Navigate to the devices menu in the top bar
Click on the ID of your device
Enter the messages menu from the left navigation
column

40. Check device messages

41. Callbacks and APIs
51

42. Sending data to your email - Callback setup
Device Type menu
Click on your device type name
Enter the Callbacks menu
Select new default callback

46. Callback status
In the Devices > Messages panel, you have a indicator of the
callback status (an arrow)
Black : in progress
Green : Callback OK
Red : Callback KO (at least one of the callbacks failed)
Click the arrow to display details.

47. Geolocation : Sigfox Atlas service
57

48. Network-based geolocation
100% network based, with kilometric precision
For higher precision, use
• GPS (outdoor)
• Wifi hotspots location services (indoor + urban)
• Beacons systems (managed environments)

49. Pybytes integration
62

50. Pybytes integration – Step 1
• Create first your Sigfox API
credentials
• Navigate to Group -> Your Group ->
API Access
• Add Profile « Device Manager [W] »
• Connect to PyBytes to add
credentials
• Settings -> Sigfox API

51. • Add a new device in Pybytes
• Select Sigfox Connectivity
• At the end of the process, callback
should be automatically created on
Sigfox backend
• Run again firmware update tool
and select « pybytes »
distribution
• Paste the token provided by pybtes
Pybytes integration – Step 2

52. Pybytes Visualisation
• Example is provided here:
https://docs.pycom.io/pybytes/dashboard/
• PyBytes library uses « send_signal » function to send data over the network
• Increase the sleep duration from 5 to 60 sec
• Follow the tutorial to add the PyBytes signal and widget on
your dashboard

53. Thank you !
Nicolas Lesconnec <nicolas.lesconnec@sigfox.com>
https://builders.iotagency.sigfox.com
66