Release 4.5
With release 4.5, we have elevated our NRSW to a new technology platform and given it a fundamental update. For you as our customer, however, nothing changes, except that you benefit from faster feature integration and releases. Due to the extensive changes and the large number of new features, 4.5.0.100 is an STS version. 4.3.0.108 remains the current LTS version.
Please find the new features below.
New features
NG800 support and Dead Reckoning
For the first time, our new NG800 Automotive Gateway is fully supported by NRSW and receives its first software release. This now includes the GNSS Dead Reckoning feature with automatic calibration.
Dead Reckoning supplements conventional GNSS navigation with intelligent algorithms that process the distance, direction and altitude changes made when the satellite signal is interrupted. This allows the route to be recognized even if the satellite signal is missing for a short time, such as in tunnels or underground car parks.
Dead reckoning has been added to the NG800 with automatic calibration. For example, if the vehicle is parked in an underground car park and switched off, the GNSS module remains switched on with the use of Ignition Sense and thus never loses its position. If the vehicle is then started again, a valid position is immediately available, even if no satellites can yet be reached. Thus, the navigation system is immediately ready for use again.
eSIM (eUICC) support
With the NG800 Automotive Gateway, we have a device in our portfolio that is protected against dust and water (high pressure) thanks to its IP69K housing. This is difficult to reconcile with a replaceable SIM card, which is why a soldered-on eSIM, a so-called eUICC, is used in this device. This allows the casing to be glued, but it is still possible to change the mobile phone contract with it. Compared to a normal SIM card, an eUICC can contain multiple profiles, i.e. multiple contracts.
With our other devices, the SIM cards can be exchanged, but this often involves considerable logistical effort. The eUICC is not only available as a solderable chip that is populated during production, but also as a plastic card in the familiar form factors. This means that all our current devices* can now be retrofitted with the eUICC functionality.
NRSW 4.5 has now been extended so that SIM profiles can be loaded, managed and exchanged remotely.
* License from NetModule and Toby-L2 modem required, not supported by NB2700
MQTT 5
MQTT has become one of the most popular IoT protocols for communication between devices and applications. It enables the transmission of data in the form of messages between devices, even despite high delays or only limited available networks. We now support MQTT 5 as a full-featured agent with NRSW 4.5. The functions can be accessed via the SDK.
An example of use for MQTT in the industrial environment is the communication of physical units to their digital twins. A digital twin is a model of an actual physical unit. The twin reflects the current state of the plant, and with its help, the current state of the plant can be evaluated, control can be refined, or operation can be optimized. Thus, changes can be tested in advance and finally implemented without interruption.
With MQTT, our routers form the link between the virtual and physical worlds by translating the MQTT messages of the physical plants into IP and transmitting them to the cloud.
Another step towards Industry 4.0!
WLAN DFS
When used in the 5 GHz band, it is a legal requirement that WLAN routers outside buildings must use WLAN DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) for certain channels. With DFS, a WLAN automatically changes the channel if a radar signal is detected on the used outdoor channel.
NRSW 4.5 now supports WLAN DFS for all our current devices, except for the NB2700. This means that there are now more overlap-free channels available for use in the 5 GHz band (19 instead of only four) to ensure smooth communication and our products may thus also be used outdoors in the 5 GHz band.
1 GHz CPU for NB800 and NB1601
The NB800 Rev. B02 and NB1601 Rev. B02 routers get a performance upgrade with the new release: The maximum CPU clock is increased from 600 MHz to 1 GHz.
More information you find in the corresponding Product Change Notices.