LoRaWAN new features, bulk edition of properties and webhooks

LoRaWAN improvements

At Wattsense, we want to help you make the most of what the LoRaWAN protocol offers. That's why we've made the following changes.

• We've improved the way our server adapts its connection to a device to maximise its battery life by using the most optimal Spreading Factor (SF).

On a scale of 1 to 12, the closer the SF is to 7, the less energy is consumed. To achieve this result, we now use the last 10 frames received by our server to assess the SNR (Signal Noise Ratio), instead of the last 20, before asking the sensor whether or not to adjust its SF. This makes the box's LoRaWAN server more responsive.

• We chose to optimise the transmission power or TxPower of the LoRa sensor only when it uses an SF 7.

Thanks to this change, our LoRa server maintains maximum transmission power for the sensor as long as it is not using SF7. This will lead the sensor to lower its SF7, thereby reducing energy consumption and extending battery life.

• Downlink management has been reviewed.
  
  - With a class A sensor (the majority of LoRaWAN sensors), only one downlink per device is buffered before being transmitted to the sensor. The last downlink received will overwrite the previous one if it is still in the buffer.
  - In class C (powered sensors), there is a first-in-first-out queue per device. Downlinks are transmitted to the equipment as they are received, with a 13-second delay.
  
• Finally, the frame counter is a new feature available free of charge for all your LoRaWAN equipment. Thanks to it, you can ensure the Wattsense box receives the frames correctly. Remember to add the new property to your configurations.

Add the new property

Track the frames received

Bulk edition of properties

Too many properties added to a gateway by mistake? It is now possible to mass edit the properties of a single device or gateway to activate, deactivate or delete them through a new interface.

The "Actions" button is available after an item is selected

Create webhooks in the console - Tower only

To retrieve your property values or be alerted to an alarm directly in your tools, you can now create data streams from the console. A data stream is a connection between Wattsense servers and your servers, which can be either a webhook or a cloud-to-cloud MQTT connection.

This feature was previously only available via API and is now directly accessible from the console.

Data Streams are available from the "Organisation" item in the main menu

Other enhancements

• In the same way, you can edit a schedule for a Siemens RVL or Siemens Synco; it is now possible to edit a schedule in BACnet format through a user interface available in the Live Data screen.
  
• Download your equipment's configuration and properties in one click from the "Download" button on the Configuration screen.
  
• Under the icon ℹ️ to the right of your box name, you can see the number of properties counted in your subscription.
  
• Nearly 100 new LoRaWAN devices have been added to our catalogue.
  
  

We are delighted to bring these changes to you, starting with APPS 5.10.5. Please contact our support team if your device is running an earlier version and needs to be upgraded. The Wattsense team is as eager as I am to see you take advantage of these features and share your impressions and use cases.