DART Dynamic Automatic Radio Transmission overview
1 Overview
DART (for Dynamic Automatic Radio Transceiver) is Raveon Technologies Corporation’s wide-area wireless networking technology. Unlike most all other radio trunking systems, DART is optimized for data, M2M, telemetry, GPS tracking, and meter reading instead of two-way land-mobile voice. The DART trunking system builds on many of Raveon’s existing, proven technologies to create a new class of user devices and base stations.
DART is a combination of wireless protocols and technologies that together can make a very versatile wide-area radio network on narrow-band data radio channels. It is designed to be the ideal M2M platform.
2. Wireless Device Classes
DART is provisioned to communicate to a number of different “Wireless Device (WD)Classes”. The protocol interacts differently with the different classes, allowing manufacturers to provide devices that are optimized for various applications. Most wireless protocols are optimized for a particular voice application, but DART accommodates many different use cases, optimized for data communications and GPS tracking.
A list of the initial Wireless Device (WD) classes a DART system supports is shown below.
Data Modem: (Very interactive communications with the base station) Used for one- and two-way data communications, M2M, SCADA, radio telemetry, text messaging, and remote control. Communications to/from WD is via the base station and other WDs.
GPS Transponder: (Timed information reporting with light base station interaction) Used for GPS tracking of vehicles and personal locators. Tracking information and alerts are available to the end user either via connection to DART distribution network, or directly received over-the-air.
Meter Reading and SCADA: (Very infrequent interaction with base station) Used for communications to/from low-power radio modems that infrequently communicate with the system.
DART Feature | Wireless Device Class | ||
Data Modem | GPS Tracker | Meter Reading /SCADA | |
Dynamic Configuration of groups, frequencies, power management, report rate, and authorization. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Dynamic Data Bandwidth | Yes | ||
Roaming and Base Hand-Off | Yes | Yes | |
Autonomous Reporting | Yes | Yes | |
Bandwidth Priority by Net, Group | Yes | ||
Reporting Rate Priority by Net, Group | Yes | ||
Local communication without base | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Group, Net, and ID data broadcasts |
Yes |
Yes | Yes |
Group, Net, and ID Range Mass-Poll | Yes | Yes | |
Small-slot compression using slot assignments by ID and delta position reporting |
Yes |
3. DART M2M Platform Features
1. Quickly deploy new radios into complex systems
2. Configures radio modems dynamically, based upon current system needs and settings.
a. Over-the-air channel/frequency assignments
b. Data transmission bandwidth allocation
c. Reporting rate
d. Priority levels and group membership
e. Base Station to associate with
f. Uses local IDs (LIDs) to communicate with WD’s, shortening the OTA packet size.
g. Many other parameters based on radio model and user needs
h. Delivers data packets reliably over the wireless network, fragmenting, retransmitting, and reconstructing them as needed.
3. Assigns channel bandwidth dynamically to devices needing to communicate
a. Retry interval and duration is managed by local base station based on loading and QOS
b. WDs automatically find the a local base station to link-up to when they power on.
4. Balance the data communication loads based upon device priorities, system configuration and minimum QOS.
5. Utilize additional RF channels when available and as needed. Assign channels dynamically.
6. Timed configuration assignments for remote and out-of-comms continuous operation.
7. It has the capability of handling voice traffic, particularly VOIP sourced voice.
8. Very flexible ID scheme allowing for up to 4 trillion nodes.
9. End users can to assign their own IDs to their own nodes and configure message routing and deliver based on device ID, the ID they assigned, or groups the WD is a member of.
10. WDs may be assigned to groups. Single messages may be sent to groups of WDs. Messages may be routed to/from groups.
4. System Overview
A DART wireless network can support millions of Wireless Devices (WDs) such as radio modems and GPS trackers. Using one to hundreds or base stations, each with one to dozens of RF channels, a DART network can span a city or a country.
WD: A Wireless Device used for SCADA, meter reading, telemetry, GPS tracking, …
BSC: Base Station Controller that controls one more more transceivers at one or more base sites.
Master Gateway. A Linux base data router that handles routing data, deviced authentication, security, and logging.
The first generation of WDs Raveon has incorporated DART technology into is the M8 series of OEM data radio modems: http://www.raveon.com/RV-M8S.html
DART is a trademark of Raveon Technologies Corporation. Contact Raveon Technologies Corporation for more information.