Lighting control system and road management based on RF mesh communication with network management platform with capacity for large-scale applications

Abstract

In an era in which much of conscious use of resources and energy efficiency, an area in which many actions have been taken is the intelligent lighting control. The significant cost savings of energy, coupled with the provision of a higher quality service and the creation of additional facilities justifies investment in advanced technology control. In that respect, the use of a lighting control system for RF, without the need for physical network installation, individual per point and with a variety of controls beyond simple on/off switch, tends to get very attractive results. The challenge then is to create a wireless network that supports and meets efficiently such application that presents itself on a scale of tens of thousands of points and great adversity of conditions.Put this need, and with the observance of the limitations of the existing mesh RF systems and low knowledge of this type of technology in Brazil, Desh proposes using current technology that already applies in other areas related to energy and work on it to achieve the standards required for the application in this new area. For it will be developed a control tool that efficiently manage mesh networks with a large number of points in order to study the behaviour of the respective hardware and firmware used and optimize their functioning, so it becomes technically feasible the formation and administration of networks with thousands of points and high levels of reliability and robustness.The complexity and variety of conditions that occur in a mesh network deployed in the field makes it practically impossible to emulate in a controlled environment. Thus, for the realization of this work, there is a need to implement a field environment with sufficient proportions to so work on information collection cycles and works of fixes and enhancements. The analysis tool to be created should allow data acquisition in high level of detail and have mechanisms to deal with this data and present results to the researcher, so that it becomes an effective decision making regarding the modifications to be deployed, minimizing risk of deviations and providing greater assertiveness in getting the desired results. Furthermore, the entire environment must be endowed with high flexibility and robustness, to allow with ease, speed and reliability parameters configuration and/or updating your applications, just to make feasible the extensive work of proposing hypotheses.As a result of this work aims to observe in the field a mesh network with high levels of reliability, availability, robustness and efficiency in the exchange of messages, supporting thousands of points even with concurrent access. With this becomes feasible to travel over this network not only the basic controls for lighting, but also information from various other applications of smart cities, since there are available a network of extensive coverage already deployed. (AU)