The Internet of Things has an important impact on our lives. Products have become smarter, and almost all fields currently require Internet of Things devices, such as our common self-driving cars, smart transportation, smart cities, and drones. Smart robots, smart grids, the Internet of Things for industrial and agricultural applications, etc. are all changing our way of life.
The IoT board integrates advanced functions into a circuit board and becomes smaller and smaller. So do you know the relationship between IoT and PCB circuit boards? Some considerations will help you implement IoT PCB more effectively.
There are many aspects of design that can be improved if you’re just beginning to learn about IoT. IoT devices are compact and combine low power consumption, mobility, RF communication, mixed signals, high-speed data transfer, and RF communications into one device. All of these considerations will help you design the right product from the start.
Where are the applications of IoT?
In today’s world, Most items are connected to the communication source in some way via the Internet. It is known as the Internet of Things (IoT). The technology and electronic components embedded in nearly everything, such as:
- Computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones provide 24×7 access to social media
- Smart TVs provide direct access to the internet for easy access to live video streaming via a remote control (or smartphone)
- GPS systems in cars guide drivers to their destinations reliably and consistently
- IoT-powered social media, text messaging and other ways to stay connected with friends and family
- When attention is needed or scheduled maintenance approaches, the vehicle can provide owners with up-to-date information on service reminders
- Medical diagnostic equipment now features technology that allows doctors and lab technicians to share information more reliably and accurately, improving patient care.
- Smart homes have become Internet hubs in their own right, with IoT-enabled thermostats, lighting, entertainment systems, and security features
- Children can even be the first to embrace technology because they absorb it quickly and appreciate the entertainment value
- Wearable technology in the form of fitness bands, smartwatches, and environmental simulators is growing in functionality and popularity
For PCB designers and manufacturers, IoT is a new opportunity to expand the use of electronics technology in markets.
PCB Industry Standards
In order to be eventually brought to market, a new product must meet or surpass many industry standards. These standards define several operational requirements that ensure compatibility with other devices. it’s important to familiarize yourself with industry standards. If a device can be designed to meet standards, there will be no need to redesign it later.
You will often need to refer to the IPC standards during your design process. IEEE, ISO and ANSI are also PCB operating standard specifiers. When you start looking into industry standards, it can seem confusing. No one can remember all PCB design standards, so it is important to focus on the standards that apply to the device.
IoT PCB Design Filed
There are four major IoT design fields:
a) Simulation
B)Numbers
c)MEMS
d) Radiofrequency
MEMS sensors gather data, then undergo analog-to-digital conversion to input into a microcontroller. The results are then transmitted via standards like WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G/4G. The device can also perform a reverse path digital to analog conversion, depending on the response.
IoT PCB design Tips:
low-power PCB to IoT devices
Some IoT devices cannot be plugged into a wall socket. You should design the device so that it uses as little energy as possible if the device is mobile. Mobile IoT devices can operate in a variety of modes including sleep, standby and burst. Turning off parts of your device that are not required is the best way to conserve battery power and maintain reliability.
It is best to consider the power dissipation of the PCB in terms of the different functional blocks. You can divide the PCB into functional blocks, and then assign a budget for power to each one. Consult your component supplier if you have any questions about power consumption. You can ask them to recommend using less power components and help you keep your costs within budget.
IoT devices also need a memory module that consumes power. By choosing the memory that best meets your needs, you can reduce your power consumption. Each memory type has advantages and disadvantages. for example, If you choose DMA over DRAM, you can save power, but you will increase throughput and latency. You must weigh the pros of each memory type as a designer.
Keep devices connected with RF design
WiFi will be used to connect your IoT device to the Internet unless you intend to directly plug it into an Ethernet port. Bluetooth may be an added bonus, especially if you plan to use the device as a mobile phone interface. Other wireless protocols use RF signals to transmit and receive data. If you’re not familiar with wireless protocols, this is a great way to get started.
The allocation of radio spectrum is regulated by the government, which allocates certain frequency bands to different uses. Other RF protocols, such as WiFi, will use different frequencies within the RF spectrum. This is a good approach if you are not yet familiar with the various wireless protocols.
You don’t need to create an RF module from the ground up. Electronic vendors sell off-the-shelf modules that meet industry standards and can be easily integrated into your designs. These parts are smaller in size but still provide all functionality.
Mixed Signal Design
Sensors are used by many IoT devices including mobile phones, smart homes and other devices. Sensor outputs from IoT devices need to be converted into digital signals. Digital data can be manipulated and encoded once it has been converted into a digital signal.
IoT devices process increasing amounts of data. Therefore, the processors need to move data faster between components. The layout will have to take into account issues like crosstalk, clock skews, propagation delays, attenuation, and impedance match. The analog and digital parts of the board must be separated if you want to mix high-speed analog and digital signals.
With the right simulation protocols, you can ensure accuracy when macro-modeling ICs and behavioral constructs. You can Protect your PCB through a powerful SPICE simulation.
Simulation, smaller boards, higher component density
When you are asked to meet power requirements, mixed-signal protocols, such as packaging of RF modules, logic ICs , power management components, microprocessors, memory, displays, USB ports, charging ports, and other electronic components. If you want to get the most out of your device, you need to make the most of it.
There is no need to manage every factor separately. You can track power efficiency and design holes with SPICE simulation. You can also analyze impedance, determine form factor constraints, and analyze impedance. The SPICE library is a valuable tool for analysis,which will provide easy component parameter integration and model.
IoT PCB forms and suitability
Wearable devices demonstrate the challenges of IoT PCB design. IoT innovators usually approach this in two ways:
A)Potential functionality is identified and the developer explores whether it can be put into a suitable marketable shell.
B) If have the opportunity to add an additional feature to an already existing product and then explore whether this feature can be added with as little impact on the original product as possible.
Simulation, verification, power and memory in IoT PCB design
IoT design may seem simple in concept, but it is actually more complex to implement. you should try to catch as many issues as possible as early as possible in the process. Take a look at these three challenges:
1 )IoT devices are often small, and they must have a long battery life. They may be required to perform in different power states or for various tasks. Each one must be functionally tested.
2) What about voltage losses on critical networks as a cause of failure? Do certain parts of the board have a tendency to an excessive current density?
3) The microcontroller-memory connection is cumbersome, and it’s affected by many factors such as transmission line loss, crosstalk and timing delays. Limiting these connections accurately before layout can reduce debugging times later, particularly if DDR is used.
IoT PCB Layout Design
It should be easier if you follow the guidelines. There are also other things to consider:
Placement of components.
IoT PCB design tools that let you switch between 2D or 3D views can be very useful, due to the possible constraints of form factors.
Management of constraints.
You can control the net classes and pin parity by allowing electrical constraints to be propagated through the process. It will be improved if you use hierarchical rule sets in the tool.
2D/3D layout.
This feature doesn’t only involve dropping components. Is the structure of the enclosure correct? Can you import a mechanical enclosure to compare it with the specifications? Switching views is useful in all of these areas.
Soft-hard board.
As we have already mentioned, rigid-flex PCB board designs are only useful if you can check the curvature of the boards, the placement of their parts on the layers, and their routing. You could export this rigid-flex model as a solid to MCAD software, which would greatly reduce potential assembly and manufacturing issues.
Test IoT PCB designs.
A good DFT always pays off, which is especially suitable for IoT metrics like radio frequency range, battery life, interoperability, and response time. It is important to test the operation of the device over a wide range of temperatures and power states.