Smart Places and Infrastructure · Study deck

IoT Domain Requirements: Data, Regulation, and Selection

A device meets its response and battery targets, but its data volume can still overload the chosen path and regulation can delay the whole project.

Ada is your guide for this deck.

applicationdomainsrequirements

Ada, the module guide, in a scene from this chapter.

After studying this chapter

Learning objectives

You will be able to:

size an IoT data path from volume and timing evidence
include regulatory cost and delay in requirements
select domain technology with explicit trade-offs
Explain: A device meets its response and battery targets, but its data volume can still overload the chosen path and regulation can delay the whole project.

Major section

Start With the Story

A device meets its response and battery targets, but its data volume can still overload the chosen path and regulation can delay the whole project.

The regulatory branch adds schedule, assurance, and OT integration costs.
With the six dimensions named, the workflow becomes a narrowing exercise rather than a technology popularity contest.

IoT technology selection decision tree guiding choices based on latency, power, scale, and data volume requirements

Major section

One-Size IoT Pitfall

The Myth: "I can use Wi-Fi for everything" or "LoRaWAN solves all IoT problems".

The Truth: Every domain has 3-5 viable technology options based on specific constraints.
Each row in Figure: Common trade-off patterns in IoT domain requirements -- is a pair, not a menu.
A response under 100 ms needs a radio that wakes often, which is what a ten-year battery cannot afford.

Major section

Domain Requirements Pitfalls

A system averaging 200 ms may spike to 2-5 seconds under load -- catastrophic for industrial safety.

System-level accuracy must account for the entire measurement chain, not just the sensor datasheet.
Replacing 5,000 batteries per year at $15 each (battery + labor) costs $75,000 annually.
Total savings over 10 years are $1,150,000 - $600,000 = $550,000.

Common trade-off patterns in IoT domain requirements -- optimizing one dimension often constrains another

Major section

LoRaWAN vs NB-IoT TCO

They must choose between LoRaWAN (private network) and NB-IoT (carrier network).

Step 2: Annual Operating Costs (Years 1-5).
At scale, LoRaWAN advantage increases to $7.4M (41% lower TCO).
Key Takeaway: Per-device costs look attractive (NB-IoT $3/month seems cheap), but multiply by device count and time period to reveal true TCO.

Deck summary

Key takeaways

A device meets its response and battery targets, but its data volume can still overload the chosen path and regulation can delay the whole project.

The Myth: "I can use Wi-Fi for everything" or "LoRaWAN solves all IoT problems".
A system averaging 200 ms may spike to 2-5 seconds under load -- catastrophic for industrial safety.
They must choose between LoRaWAN (private network) and NB-IoT (carrier network).

Retrieval practice

Recall check 1 of 4

Ada says: answer from memory, then check your reasoning.

Q1A sensor meets its battery and response targets, but a health-data review is pending. What belongs in the plan?

ATreat the review as an optional launch task

BBudget compliance work and schedule an approval gate.

CAssume good radio performance satisfies privacy rules

DRemove the review from the requirements matrix

Show answer

Answer: B Cost and delay from compliance belong in the requirement decision.

Retrieval practice

Recall check 2 of 4

Ada says: answer from memory, then check your reasoning.

Q2A national-park project wants 10,000 battery-powered environmental nodes to operate for 10 years. Its measurements can arrive every few hours, and the power budget rules out frequent radio wake-ups. Which requirement drives this accepted reporting delay?

AReliability - more frequent transmissions drain batteries faster

BPower - the long battery target favors infrequent, low-power reporting

CScale - more devices require more bandwidth, forcing slower transmission

DRegulation - environmental sensors must transmit infrequently by law

Show answer

Answer: B The scenario accepts hours between readings to meet a measured long-life battery budget.

Retrieval practice

Recall check 3 of 4

Ada says: answer from memory, then check your reasoning.

Q3What records representative tests and acceptance decisions against a service requirement?

AValidation Evidence

BMeasurable Service Outcome

CRequirement Envelope

Show answer

Answer: A Validation evidence records representative tests, traceable results, and an acceptance decision against the requirement envelope.

Q4Complete the smart home automation rule engine:

Avalue = sensor_readings.get(self.sensor)

Bvalue = sensor_readings[self.sensor]

Cvalue = sensor_readings.find(self.sensor)

Dvalue = self.sensor.read()

Show answer

Answer: A dict.get() safely retrieves sensor values. Using callable conditions (lambda) allows flexible rule definitions.

Retrieval practice

Recall check 4 of 4

Ada says: answer from memory, then check your reasoning.

Q5Four sensors each send a 3 kB payload every 15 minutes. How much payload data do they send together in a 24-hour day, before protocol overhead or compression?

A12 kB/day

B288 kB/day

C1,152 kB/day

D4,608 kB/day

Show answer

Answer: C Four reports/hour × 24 hours/day × four sensors × 3 kB/report = 1,152 kB/day.

Print reference

Answers

Answer key.

B · Cost and delay from compliance belong in the requirement decision.
B · The scenario accepts hours between readings to meet a measured long-life battery budget.
A · Validation evidence records representative tests, traceable results, and an acceptance decision against the requirement envelope.
A · dict.get() safely retrieves sensor values. Using callable conditions (lambda) allows flexible rule definitions.
C · Four reports/hour × 24 hours/day × four sensors × 3 kB/report = 1,152 kB/day.