Enabling LoRaWAN Communication with Out-of-coverage End Nodes in DTN Scenarios Through an Optimised Duty-cycle

This paper presents the idea of using LoRaWAN based sensors in isolated areas with intermittent gateway presence. The intent is to expand the network coverage to areas with no preexisting infrastructure, and automate the data collection process in Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) scenarios. The use case considered in the paper is that of ocean monitoring, where sensor nodes can be deployed far from the shore to record ocean-related data, while gateways located on ships collect the sensors’ telemetry when the ship passes close by the nodes. We discuss the LoRaWAN capabilities and limitations for such scenario, focusing in particular on the energy consumption on the end nodes’ side. Finally, we present an optimized strategy that optimizes the duty cycle for these remote nodes. The experiments show that by adopting this solution, the nodes spend less energy, which leads to their lifespan to be extended significantly.