UNIT – I: Introduction to Internet of Things

Evolution of IoT Concept

The evolution due to the convergence of multiple technologies, including ubiquitous computing,
commodity sensors, increasingly powerful embedded systems, as well as machine learning.
Traditional fields of embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, control systems, automation
(including home and building automation), independently and collectively enable the Internet of
things. In the consumer market, IoT technology is most synonymous with products pertaining to
the concept of the "smart home", including devices and appliances (such as lighting fixtures,
thermostats, home security systems, cameras, and other home appliances) that support one or
more common ecosystems, and can be controlled via devices associated with that ecosystem,
such as smartphones and smart speakers. IoT is also used in healthcare systems.
There are a number of concerns about the risks in the growth of IoT technologies and products,
especially in the areas of privacy and security, and consequently, industry and governmental
moves to address these concerns have begun, including the development of international and
local standards, guidelines, and regulatory frameworks.

IoT Vision
The vision of the Internet of Things (IoT) can be seen from two perspectives – “Internet-centric”
and “thing-centric.”
The Internet-centric architecture involves Internet services as the main focus, as data is being
generated by the “things.” In the thing-centric architecture, smart devices take the center stage.
Equinix is at the heart of the interconnected world of the Internet, so we’re focused on the
Internet-centric view.
The end goal is to have plug-n-play smart objects that can be deployed in any environment with
an interoperable interconnection backbone that allows them to blend with other smart objects
around them. Standardization of frequency bands and protocols plays a pivotal role in
accomplishing this goal.

IoT Definition
Vendors embedding intelligence into physical objects or things, basically anything that could
support a sensor, and connecting these via networks. creates an intelligent, invisible network fabric
that can be sensed, controlled and programmed. IoT-enabled products employ embedded
technology that allows them to communicate, directly or indirectly, with each other or the
Internet.

IoT Basic Characteristics

Characteristics of IoT
1. Connectivity
Connectivity is an essential feature of IoT. IoT lets you connect mobile phones, laptops, and
other internet devices. Any person can get information about anything at any time and place.

2. Identity of Things
The collaboration of name and number gives an identity to an internet device. Giving an identity
to the device is an essential aspect of loT. Identity helps to differentiate between various internet
devices and select the device we want to send the command.
3. Intelligence
The intelligence of IoT devices depends on the sensors' intelligence. The sensors send the data to
the user for further analysis.

4. Dynamic
We need to create IoT devices in a way that they can adapt to the environment. For example, an
AC should have a sensor that can send a signal to the cloud and adjust it to the premises of the
place. Similarly, the camera can easily click photographs by adjusting to light situations, like day
and night.

5. Scalability
Scalability means the amount of data one can handle efficiently. The IoT has created a setup to
handle enormous data and generate useful analysis.

6. Self Upgradation
As we saw above, updating the software regularly is important. But who has the time to
remember to do that? Thus, with its artificial intelligence, IoT upgrades itself without human
help. It also allows the set up of a network for the addition of any new IoT devices. Thus, the
technology can quickly start working without delay if the setup has already been done.

7. Architecture
The architecture of IoT is designed in a way that it is capable of supporting various devices,
technologies, and protocols. Its main work is to confirm whether each connected device does not
interfere with the other. This way, the safety and security of each device's data are maintained.

8. Security
With the increasing number of IoT devices, issues regarding the security of personal data have
arisen. There might be a chance of data leakage as a large amount of data is collected,
exchanged, and generated. There is a chance of personal data being transferred without approval,
which is a matter of concern.

9. Network
With the increasing number of IoT devices in a network, it becomes difficult to maintain
communication for proper functioning. However, cloud service and gateway are a few methods
that can solve such problems.

10. Data
The data gathered from IoT devices are analyzed for future prediction. For example, a calorie
meter. It helps to regulate the number of calories each day. We also have fitness data,
thermostats, and various devices that monitor our health. Therefore, we can use the data
collected through these devices.

IoT Distinction
Devices can be connected with any form of internet. It deals with actuators, sensors,
computation, communication Interfaces. Digitally Augmented objects make IoT. Every IoT
devices have a different Protocol. Programing is difficult because of multiple protocols. All the
protocols and standard are private and it cannot be accessed publicly

IoT Architectures
Sensing Layer –
The sensing layer is the first layer of the IoT architecture and is responsible for collecting data
from different sources. This layer includes sensors and actuators that are placed in the
environment to gather information about temperature, humidity, light, sound, and other physical
parameters. These devices are connected to the network layer through wired or wireless
communication protocols.

Network Layer –
The network layer of an IoT architecture is responsible for providing communication and
connectivity between devices in the IoT system. It includes protocols and technologies that
enable devices to connect and communicate with each other and with the wider internet.
Examples of network technologies that are commonly used in IoT include WiFi, Bluetooth,
Zigbee, and cellular networks such as 4G and 5G. Additionally, the network layer may include
gateways and routers that act as intermediaries between devices and the wider internet, and may
also include security features such as encryption and authentication to protect against
unauthorized access.

Data processing Layer –

The data processing layer of IoT architecture refers to the software and hardware components
that are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data from IoT devices. This layer
is responsible for receiving raw data from the devices, processing it, and making it available for
further analysis or action.The data processing layer includes a variety of technologies and tools,
such as data management systems, analytics platforms, and machine learning algorithms. These
tools are used to extract meaningful insights from the data and make decisions based on that
data.Example of a technology used in the data processing layer is a data lake, which is a
centralized repository for storing raw data from IoT devices.

Application Layer –
The application layer of IoT architecture is the topmost layer that interacts directly with the end-
user. It is responsible for providing user-friendly interfaces and functionalities that enable users
to access and control IoT devices.This layer includes various software and applications such as
mobile apps, web portals, and other user interfaces that are designed to interact with the
underlying IoT infrastructure. It also includes middleware services that allow different IoT
devices and systems to communicate and share data seamlessly.The application layer also
includes analytics and processing capabilities that allow data to be analyzed and transformed into
meaningful insights. This can include machine learning algorithms, data visualization tools, and
other advanced analytics capabilities.

Three-layer IoT Architecture

The layers in the three layer architecture are perception layer, network layer, and application
layer.
Perception Layer: It is the physical layer which contains sensors to gather data.
Network Layer: Responsible for connecting to other devices or servers. Also includes
transmitting and processing the data from sensors.
Application Layer: Responsible for delivering application services to the users via user
interfaces.

Five-Layer IoT Architecture

The layers in the five layer architecture are perception layer, transport layer, processing layer,
application layer, and business layer.
Perception Layer: Is the physical layer which contains sensors to gather data.
Transport Layer: Deals with transferring the data from perception layer to processing layer.
Processing Layer: Stores, analyzes, and processes data coming from the transport layer.
Application Layer: Responsible for delivering application services to the users via user
interfaces.
Business Layer: Responsible for managing the whole IoT system, including applications, profit
models, etc.

Seven-layer Architecture
Seven Layer Architecture
1. Physical Devices
Physical equipment like controllers falls into the first layer of the seven layer architecture. The
“things” in “internet of things” is referred to these physical devices as they are responsible for
sending and receiving data. For example, the sensor data or the device status description is
associated with this type of data. A local controller can compute this data and use NFC for
transmission.
2. Connectivity
Following tasks are associated with the second layer.
It connects with the devices of the first layer.
It implements the protocols according to the compatibility of various devices.
It helps in the translation of protocols.
It provides assistance in analytics related to the network.
3. Edge Computing
Edge computing is used for data formatting which makes sure that the succeeding layer can
make sense of the data sets. To do this, it performs data filtering, cleaning, and aggregation.
Other tasks include the following.
It is used for the evaluation so data can be validated and computed by the next layer.
It assists in the data reformat to ease up high-level and complex processing.
It provides assistance in decoding and expanding.
It provides assistance in the data compression, thereby decreasing the traffic workload on the
network.
It creates event alerts.
4. Data Accumulation
Sensor data is ever changing. Hence, it is the fourth layer which is responsible for the required
conversion. The layer ensures that data is maintained in such a state that other components and
module of IoT can easily access it. When data filtering is applied in this phase, a significant part
of data is eliminated.
5. Data Abstraction
In this layer, the relevant data is processed for adhering to specific properties pertaining to the
stored data. Afterward, data is provided to the application layer for further processing. The
primary purpose of the data abstraction layer is data rendering keeping in mind its storage and
using an approach through which IoT developers are easily able to code applications.
6. Application
The purpose of the application layer is data processing so all the IoT modules can access data.
Software and hardware layer are linked with this later. Data interpretation is carried out for
generating reports, hence business intelligence comprises a major part of this layer.
7. Collaboration
In this layer, response or action are offered to provide assistance for the given data. For instance,
an action may be the actuator of an electromechanical device following a controller’s trigger.