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  • Author Author: jafoste4
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Avnet Releases the Monarch Go LTE-M Development Kit!!!

jafoste4

Avnet just released a LTE IoT enablement platform, the Monarch LTE-M Development Kit. This kit is an ideal entry point for starting your next LTE IoT application development. The LPC55S69 dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 micro-controller chip set with the production-certified Monarch Go modem allows for easy transition from development to production.

 

The Monarch LTE-M Development kit is made up of three key components.

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  1. Monarch Go LTE Cat-M1 Modem
    • LTE Cat-M1 connectivity
    • Integrated LTE antenna and SIM card
    • Production ready certified solution
  2. Monarch Go Arduino Shield
    • Arduino Form Factor
    • SE050 EdgeLock Plug and Trust Secure Element
    • VEML6030VEML6030 Ambient Light Sensor
    • Shuttle Expansion Connector (to add MikroE Click Boards)
  3. LPC55S69-EVK
    • NXPLPC55S69 MCU
      • 2x Arm Cortex-M33 cores @150MHz
      • 640 KB Flash / 320 KB SRAM
      • Trust Zone

 

Out of box, the Monarch LTE-M Development Kit is enabled with Microsoft Azure and AWS cloud support. This includes an Azure IoT Central and Avnet IoTConnect cloud example (on the way). Having these examples available for user development out of box will save the user hundreds of hours in application development cost in addition to providing a time-to-market advantage.

 

  1. The first solution is a Microsoft Azure IoT Central based dashboard solution. This dashboard features accelerometer data, RSSI signal strength, Ambient ligh level, user button events, location map info (geo location) and modem meta data. It also features Dev Kit LED control of the RGB LEDS
  2. The second solution is based on AWS, it features an Alexa echo interface using the Alexa skills Kit function and AWS lambda function from AWS. It also features a remote controlled Android application to change LED colors and display accelerometer data.
  3. In addition, in the works is a IoTConnect Azure based example from Avnet, for more information on IoTConnect see https://www.iotconnect.io/

 

Lets dig into each key technology found in this kit and hit upon why each component from various suppliers is so valuable for engineers to get started with.

 

The Sequans Monarch Go Advantage

  • The Monarch Go offers the shortest possible route to market to-date when it comes to adding in LTE Cat-M1 capabilities to your application.
    • The modem is end certified on the Verizon Network, this allows customers to avoid thousands of dollars in costly product certification
    • It also provides a time to market advantage allowing users to get to market much quicker
  • Reduced board design effort
    • You no longer need to design and tune an antenna
    • The modem acts as a simple component integration where the modem communicated to your base platform via a simple UART TX/RX CTS/RST interface

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The Verizon ThingSpace Advantage

  • Verizon is a key component in this solution integration being that the Monarch Go Modem was pre certified on their network. The modem in this case is setup their their Verizon ThinSpace connectivity management platform
  • The Verizon Thing Space allows you to easily manage your fleet of IoT devices
    • Allows for ease of removing and adding devices and users
  • Thing Space Services
    • Coarse location - Allows the user to gather location details of their IoT device without the need of a GPS!
    • Device diagnostics - Enables user to monitor device network connection status as well as monitoring device RF performances.
    • Software management - Allows user to monitor software and firmware version, in addition it is enabled with FOTA to manage and update your LTE Modems from on place.

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The NXP LPC55S69-EVK Advantage

  • The LPC55S69-EVK offers a low power dual core LPC55S69 MCU
    • This MCU offers Dual cortex-M33 cores, 640 KB Flash / 32- KB SRAM
  • In addition there are many other onboard resources that facilitate application development
    • 3D Accelerometer, Audio In/Out, User LEDs/Push Buttons, and multiple expansion interfaces such as Arduino, Pmod, Click, and MicroSD
  • SW Support Ecosystem through their IDE and SDK, and Config tools. As well as their forum support.

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The Microsoft Azure Advantage

  • Out of box the Development Kit supports an Azure IoTCentral example
    • This example is a key feature to get engineers started in their application development, it provides a starting point for engineers to make their own custom design
    • This example features two key items
      • A dashboard featuring Accelerometer data, RSSI signal strength, User Button press events, location map (geo coordinates), modem meta data such as device ID
      • Dev Kit LED Control - Shows the user how to remotely control LEDs on the EVK from the cloud based dashboard

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The Avnet Advantage

  • Avnet is the key integrator of these technologies, bringing the Monarch Go and LPC55S69-EVK hardware together
    • This was done through the hardware development of the Monarch Go Arduino Shield
      • The shield supports an ambient light sensor, secure element, and MikroBus Shuttle Click Expansion connector
  • Avnet also co developed the software with the other suppliers that makes everything function properly and provide customers starting examples to enable their development.
    • This really highlights the capability of the design services available within Avnet that brings everything together.
  • In addition they market and distribute this platform through their distribution services

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Going from Prototype to Production

This kit has an enormous advantage from going from prototype to production besides the design advantages mentioned earlier about the Monarch Go. The LPC55S69-EVK design files are available free of charge for users to take, modify and enable their end application. In addition Avnet provides the Monarch Go Arduino Shield design files as well through your local Avnet FAE. The idea being you do your prototyping with this kit, move to production, request the design files, cost reduce the board, remove any connection you don't need and then validate prototypes and finally go to production. This allows for a stream lined proven design for you to leverage.


Some example use cases for this type of solution are the following.

  1. Smart Industrial Fleet Management
    • Allows for predictive maintenance on vehicles based on weather, vibration, thermals
    • Monitors geo-location to properly map out vehicle routes based on traffic/fuel stops
    • Allows for environmental reporting back to a central location for safety management
    • Monitors fuel consumption and driving habits of employees
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  2. Remote Industrial Motor Management
    • Predictive failure analysis of motors, allows technicians to evaluate issues prior to failure
    • Allows for maximum uptime efficiency due to pre-failure maintenance
    • Monitors efficiency of motors and resources produced
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