NB|EASY User Manual - Performance Tab

The performance tab shows different a comparison of different cellular standards that could be used for IoT connectivity, NB-IoT, GSM, 3G (UMTS) and LTE. The basis for the comparison are cellular modems from ublox:

The following screenshot shows the performance tab of the NB|EASY software.

Power Consumption

The calculation of the power consumption for different cellular standards are described in the following sections. We calculate the power consumption for the transmission of a single data packet.

  • 1 transmission per minute: T_total = 60 sec
  • 1 transmission per hour: T_total = 3600 sec
  • 1 transmission per day: T_total = 86400 sec
  • 1 transmission per week: T_total =604800 sec

The power consumption is then given as percentage of the LTE power consumption.

NB-IoT

The basis of the power consumption calculation is the specification of the SARA 211 Module (SARA-N2 DataSheet).

ModeConditionPTxCurrent_Consumption of IoT module
Deep-sleep modeAveraged current over a 10-second period-3 µA
Active modeAveraged current over a 10-second period-6 mA
 Rx-modeAveraged current over a 10-second period -46 mA
 Tx-mode All Averaged current over a 2-second period

-40 dBm

-7 dBm

+3 dBm

+13 dBm

23 dBm

 74 mA

 75 mA

78 mA

100 mA

 220 mA

Bildergebnis für NB-IoT current consumption

The power consumption per single data transmission (10 sec):

T_Tx - Transmit Timer  (AT+NUESTATS: "RADIO","TX_time")  difference between two transmissions

T_Rx - Receive Timer  (AT+NUESTATS: "RADIO","RX_time") difference between two transmissions

Timer are averaged over 60 sec. With one data transmission during that time.

P_Tx - Transit Power  (AT+NUESTATS: "RADIO","TX_Power")


NB1_Power_Consumption_1min  [Ws]  = 3,6  [V] *( Current_Consumption_Tx (P_Tx ) [A] * T_Tx  [sec] + Current_Consumption_Rx * T_Rx [sec]+ Current_Consumption_DeepSleep *(60 sec - T_Tx [sec]-T_Rx [sec]))

NB1_Power_Consumption_1h  [Ws]  = 3,6  [V] * (Current_Consumption_Tx (P_Tx ) [A] * T_Tx  [sec] + Current_Consumption_Rx * T_Rx [sec]+ Current_Consumption_DeepSleep *(3600 sec - T_Tx [sec]-T_Rx [sec]))

NB1_Power_Consumption_1day  [Ws]  = 3,6  [V] *( Current_Consumption_Tx (P_Tx ) [A] * T_Tx  [sec] + Current_Consumption_Rx * T_Rx [sec]+ Current_Consumption_DeepSleep *(86400 sec - T_Tx [sec]-T_Rx [sec]))

NB1_Power_Consumption_1week  [Ws]  = 3,6  [V] *( Current_Consumption_Tx (P_Tx ) [A] * T_Tx  [sec] + Current_Consumption_Rx * T_Rx [sec]+ Current_Consumption_DeepSleep *(604800 sec - T_Tx [sec]-T_Rx [sec]))

This follows the assumption that the power consumption of the modem in the "Active Mode" can be neglected, since it is rather small compared to the Power consumption in TX-Mode. 


Assumption: The model calculates the power from TX & RX timing counters. Therefore it takes into account that the modem switches into RX after the TAU-period. The power consumption will therefore depend on the actual setting for transmission. The initial cell search and attachment is not considered. For power consumption  for transmissions less often than once per minute, the power consumption of regular RX-periods after TAU is not considered. It is assumed that the modem is in deep sleep rather than in the RX-status occasionally.


GSM

The basis of the power consumption calculation is the specification of the SARA G3 Module (SARA G3 Series).

ModeConditionPTxCurrent_Consumption of IoT module
Idle modeAveraged current over a 10-second period- 4 mA
Active modeAveraged current over a 10-second period-4,7 mA
Connected-mode All Averaged current over a 2-second period

32 dBm

250 mA

The power consumption per single data transmission (10 sec), single tone transmission (9,6kbit/s), 

Bildergebnis für gsm current consumption

T_Tx - Transmit Time  0,577 msec

T_Rx - Receive Time  1,154 msec

T_active - Active Time  2,884 msec

Power Consumption for data transmission:

T_Data - Time needed for transmission of total_TX_bytes

T_Data = total_TX_bytes * 8  / 9,6 kbit

Power_Consumption_Data = 3,8  [V] * T_Data [sec] * Current_Consumption_connected [A]

(the TX power is not considered, since there is no power control in GSM)

GSM_Power_Consumption_1min  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (60 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_connected [A] 

GSM_Power_Consumption_1h  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (3600 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_connected [A] 

GSM_Power_Consumption_1day  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (86400 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_connected [A] 

GSM_Power_Consumption_1week  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (604800 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_connected [A] 

Assumption: The Modem is not switched-off or not sent into the idle mode, but stay in the active mode (attached) as long as it does not transmits data. The initial cell searattachment is not considered.

3G

The basis of the power consumption calculation is the specification of the SARA U260 (Band 8) Module  (SARA U2 Series)

ModeConditionPTxCurrent_Consumption of IoT module
3G Cyclic Idle/Active-Mode
(Power Saving enabled)
Averaged current over a 10 minute period,
DRX = 930, +UPSV=2 or 3, USB disconnected
-0,9mA
UMTS Connected Mode
(Tx / Rx call enabled)
Averaged current over a 10 second period,
12.2 kbit/s UL, 12.2 kbit/s DL

min

0 dBm

12 dBm

18 dBm

max dBm

115 mA

135 mA

190 mA

325 mA

565 mA


T_Data = total_TX_bytes * 8  / 5.760 kbit/s

P_Tx - Transit Power  (AT+NUESTATS: "RADIO","TX_Power")

Power_Consumption_Data = 3,8  [V] * T_Data [sec] *Current_Consumption_Connected (P_Tx ) [A]  

Assumption: The Modem is not switched-off or not sent into the idle mode, but stay in the active mode as long as it does not transmits data.

3G_Power_Consumption_1min  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (60 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

3G_Power_Consumption_1h  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (3600 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

3G_Power_Consumption_1day  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (86400 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

3G_Power_Consumption_1week  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (604800 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

Assumption: The Modem is not switched-off or not sent into the idle mode, but stay in the Cyclic Idle/Active-Mode (attached) as long as it does not transmits data. The initial cell searattachment is not considered.

LTE

The basis of the power consumption calculation is the specification of the LARA R2 (LARA R2 Series)

ModeConditionPTxCurrent_Consumption of IoT module
Cyclic Idle/Active-Mode
(Power Saving enabled)
Averaged current value over a 10-minute period,-1,4mA
 Tx-mode Averaged current value over a 10-second period

min

0 dBm

12 dBm

18 dBm

max dBm

 185 mA

 200 mA

245 mA

365 mA

 540 mA


T_Data = total_TX_bytes * 8  / 5.000 kbit/s

P_Tx - Transit Power  (AT+NUESTATS: "RADIO","TX_Power")

Power_Consumption_Data = 3,8  [V] * T_Data [sec] *Current_Consumption_TX_Mode (P_Tx ) [A]  

Assumption: The Modem is not switched-off or not sent into the idle mode, but stay in the active mode as long as it does not transmits data.

4G_Power_Consumption_1min  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (60 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

4G_Power_Consumption_1h  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (3600 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

4G_Power_Consumption_1day  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (86400 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

4G_Power_Consumption_1week  [Ws]  = Power_Consumption_Data  + 3,8  [V] * (604800 sec -T_Data [sec] )* Current_Consumption_cyclic_Idle [A] 

Assumption: The Modem is not switched-off or not sent into the idle mode, but stay in the Cyclic Idle/Active-Mode (attached) as long as it does not transmits data.The initial cell searattachment is not considered.

Battery Lifetime 

We assume a standard battery pack of three AAA bateries with Capacity_AAA  = 1.8Wh.

XXX_Battery_Life_Time_1min [year] = 3600 * Capacity_AAA  [Wh] / (XXX_Power_Consumption  [Ws]* 525600)

XXX_Battery_Life_Time_1h [year] =  3600 * Capacity_AAA  [Wh] / (XXX_Power_Consumption  [Ws] * 8760)

XXX_Battery_Life_Time_1day [year] = 3600 * Capacity_AAA  [Wh] / (XXX_Power_Consumption  [Ws] * 365)

XXX_Battery_Life_Time_1week [year] = 3600 * Capacity_AAA  [Wh] / (XXX_Power_Consumption  [Ws] * 52)


Data Rate (Uplink)

Only the NB-IoT data Rate is measured. For the other Standards we use typical values.

  • NB-IoT:  Data_Rate = total_TX_bytes * 8 * TX_time
  • GSM: 9,6 kbit/s
  • 3G: 5.760 kbit/s
  • LTE (Cat 1): 5.000 kbit/s

LATENCY

Two latencies are displayed:

  • Latency of the Network (Ping to the APN)
  • Latency of the Cloud (Acknowledgment of the Cloud Server)