TEKTELIC ORCA Industrial GPS Asset Tracker User Guide

TEKTELIC Communications Inc.
7657 10th Street NE Calgary, Alberta
Canada, T2E 8X2

ORCA Industrial GPS Asset Tracker

User Guide

Document Number:    T0006279_UG
Document Version:      2
Product Code:              T0006129 (NA/EU 2X D-Cell Industrial GPS Asset Tracker)
Issue Date:                   July 29, 2024

PROPRIETARY:
The information contained in this document is the property of TEKTELIC Communications Inc. Except as specifically authorized in writing by TEKTELIC, the holder of this document shall keep all information contained herein confidential, and shall protect the same in whole or in part from disclosure to all third parties.

© 2024 TEKTELIC Communications Inc., all rights reserved.
All products, names, and services are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies.

1 Product Description

1.1 Overview

ORCA is a multi-purpose LoRaWAN IoT industrial asset tracker using is GNSS for outdoor tracking, and BLE for optional indoor tracking, equipped with an IoT MCU, LoRa radio and accelerometer. Table 1-1 presents the available ORCA model.

Table 1-1: Industrial GPS Asset Tracker Model

Product Code| Description| RF Region| Tx Band (MHz)| Rx Band (MHz)
---|---|---|---|---
T0006129| Industrial GPS Asset
Tracker, 2X D-Cell| US915
EU868| 923-928
863-870| 902-915
863-870

The main features of the ORCA are the following:

• GNSS: Supports GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS, and SBAS.
• BLE: Bluetooth as an indoor positioning system.
• Accelerometer: High-sensitivity device that can measure any shock or movement events.

For more information on ORCA functionality please refer to ORCA TRM.

Figure 1-1 illustrates the ORCA in the enclosure.

a) Top View                            b) Top Inside View

c) Bottom View                 d) Isometric Top View

Figure 1-1: The Industrial GPS Asset Tracker module.

1.2 Specifications

The ORCA specifications are listed in Table 1-2.

Table 1-2: ORCA Specifications

UV rated as part of other safety filings
Operating Temperature| -40°C to 70°C
Storage Temperature| -25°C to 55°C
Operating Relative Humidity| 5%-95%, non-condensing
Storage Relative Humidity| 10%-100%, non-condensing
Size| 195 mm x 101 mm x 50 mm
Weight| 300 g without battery; add 95 g per battery.
Power Source| Battery powered: 1x or 2x D-cell LTC (3.6 V DC) with reverse polarity protection
Network technology/Frequency band| US915, EU868
Air Interface| LoRa
Maximum Tx Power| 22 dBm
Sensing Functions| GNSS, Accelerometer, BLE, Temperature, Battery Voltage Gauge
GNSS Features| Support of GPS/QZSS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou
Support of 3 concurrent GNSSs
Data logging up to 3,000 entries
Geofencing up to 4 circular geofences
2.5 m position accuracy
TTFF:

• 26 sec cold start
• 1 sec hot start

Sensitivity:

• -164 dBm tracking and navigation
• -148 dBm cold start
• -157 dBm hot start

Accelerometer Sensitivity| Sample rate: 1 Hz, 10 Hz, 25 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 400 Hz
Measurement range: ±2 g, ±4 g, ±8 g, ±16 g
Precision: 16 mg, 32 mg, 64 mg, 192 mg
Bluetooth Compatibility| BLE based on Bluetooth 5.0
BLE Sensitivity (0.1% BER)| 125 kbps: -103 dBm
500 kbps: -98 dBm
2 Mbps: -91 dBm
Temperature Measurement Accuracy
(non-ambient)| < ±10°C
LED| Green: Joining the network and LoRa Rx activity
Red: LoRa Tx activity
Battery Fuel Gauge Features| 2x gauges for up to 2 LTC batteries
Measuring battery voltage
Battery Lifetime| 2.4 years per battery (with default settings)

2 Installation

2.1 Included Product and Installation Material

The following items are shipped:

• ORCA Industrial GPS Asset Tracker with 2 D-cell LTC batteries installed

2.2 Safety Precautions

The following safety precautions should be observed:

• Use only LTC cells.
• All installation practices must be in accordance with the local and national electrical codes.

2.3 Unpacking and Inspection

The following should be considered during the unpacking of a new ORCA:

• Inspect the shipping carton and report any significant damage to TEKTELIC.
• Unpacking should be conducted in a clean and dry location.
• Do not discard the shipping box or inserts as they will be required if a unit is returned for repair or re-configuration.

2.4 Commissioning

Each sensor has a set of information that must be entered into the network server before activation. For instructions, please refer to the Quick Start Guide in the box (available in the Knowledge Base).

You can find the commissioning keys inside the box. If you don’t have the box, please raise a ticket in our support portal and provide the Tcode and serial number on the tag placed on the device

Figure 2-1: ORCA Commissioning Keys

2.5 Activation

The ORCA is shipped in a state of DEEP SLEEP and needs to be activated by the magnet.

NOTE: To activate ORCA you will need any magnet almost as strong as Standex-Meder M4, M5, or M13. Enclosure does not need to get opened for activation.

To activate the device:

1. Briefly place the magnet against the enclosure at the magnetic sign as shown in Figure 2-2 for about 5 seconds and take away.
2. Sensor activation will be displayed by GREEN and RED LEDs briefly turning on.

Figure 2-2: The ORCA magnetic activation site.

1. Top of Module

To return to DEEP SLEEP:

• open the enclosure and press the internal sleep button (SW2) located visibly on top of the ORCA PCBA

NOTE: ORCA doesn’t go to DEEP SLEEP when batteries are replaced.

To reactivate the device there are 2 options:

1. Use magnet activation instruction
2. Remove and reinsert the batteries

NOTE: Save your desired configuration to the ORCA flash before powering off, putting to DEEP SLEEP, or resetting as all unsaved configurations will be lost during these processes.

2.6 Mounting

On either side of the enclosure there are two mounting holes, see Figure 2-. These mounting holes can be used to screw the device with ropes, zip ties or M3 screws (not provided with the device).

Figure 2-3: The mounting holes and enclosure screw holes.

1. +4.00
   157.60  0.00 REF
   FOR MOUNTING SCREW
   M5 OR #10 WITH FLAT WAHSER DIN125

2. 0.00
   177.00  -4.00 REF
   FOR MOUNTING SCREW
   M5 OR #10 WITH FLAT WAHSER DIN 9021

The mounting surface must be capable of holding > 2 kg (4.5 lbs).

2.7 Default Configuration

The default configuration on the ORCA is described in Table 2-1.

Table 2-1: ORCA Default Reporting Behavior

Report

| Report Type| Periodicity
---|---|---
Battery voltage| Periodic|

1 day

UTC and GNSS position fix

| Periodic| 1 hour
Event-Based| Every time the accelerometer threshold is breached
(when motion begins)
Every time the accelerometer grace period elapses
(when motion stops)
Acceleration alarm| Event-Based| Every time the accelerometer threshold is breached
(when motion begins)
Every time the accelerometer grace period elapses
(when motion stops)
Discovered BLE devices (up to 8) when in STILLNESS or MOBILITY| Periodic|

Disabled

Discovered BLE devices (up to 8) when in DEFAULT

| Periodic| 1 hour
FSM State| Event-Based|

Every time the magnet is used to force UL

2.8 Reconfiguration

The ORCA supports a full range of OTA configuration options. Specific technical details are available in the ORCA TRM. All configuration commands need to be sent OTA during a ORCA’s DL windows.

2.9 LED Behaviour

The ORCA is equipped with two on-board LEDs: GREEN and RED. They are visible through the enclosure at the location shown in Figure 2-4.

F igure 2-4: The ORCA Enclosure Top View Showing Location of LEDs

LED behavior summarized in Table 2-2.

Table 2-2: ORCA LED Behavior

Behavior

|

Meaning

---|---
Both LEDs briefly on, then off. System (Green) blinks briefly (<1 sec).| All health checks passed.
Both LEDs briefly on, then off. LoRa (Red) blinks briefly (<1 sec).| Health check failed. Consider replacing batteries or moving to suitable temperature range.
Rapid green blinking occurs when attempting to join| ORCA is attempting to join a network.
LoRa (Red) blinks during LoRa Tx activity (transmitting packets)| Indicates LoRa activity during normal operation.

2.10 Battery Replacement

To replace ORCA batteries:

1. Use a T10 screwdriver to remove the 12 enclosure Torx Head screws from the bottom. Keep the silicone cover gasket safe.
2. Replace batteries using D-size, 3.6 V, LTC batteries. Recommended options include Tadiran TL4930/S or TL-5930/S, Xeno Energy XL-205F STD, or Saft LS33600.
3. Replace the cover and ensure the gasket is correctly seated. Tighten the 12 cover screws to 2.5 lbf-in (30 N-cm).

3 Functionality and Operation

3.1 GNSS Operation

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) provides autonomous geopositioning with global coverage. The GNSSs that ORCA supports are GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, and SBAS. The primary purpose of the GNSS receiver is to conduct GNSS searches, periodically or at interrupt, to obtain geopositioning information. The ORCA is also equipped with flash storage for logging the historical geopositioning data, which can be retrieved and forwarded through LoRaWAN ULs upon request. The GNSS receiver can be powered off/on to tune power usage (battery life) for end-user applications.

GNSS Data Values

|

GNSS Diagnostics Values

---|---

• UTC*
• Position coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude) *
• Ground speed
• Geofence statuses

|

• Number of visible satellites
• Average satellite SNR
• Fix type
• Time-To-Fix (TTF)
• Most recent log entry number
• Ghost error count

*Enabled to be reported by default.

Table 3-1: Optional Values for GNSS Reporting

3.2 Geofences

The ORCA supports setting up to 4 geofences. Geofences are virtual perimeters that define the boundary between 2 areas of interest: inside the geofence or outside the geofence. These are useful for defining and monitoring special geographical regions by allowing the ORCA to send status information about whether it is located inside or outside of a geofence, or if the status is unknown. Each geofence area is a circle and is defined by the latitude and longitude of its center and its radius. By default, all geofences are inactive.

3.3 Accelerometer Operation

The accelerometer in the ORCA can be disabled or enabled and supports both periodic-based and event-based reporting. The accelerometer is enabled by default. When enabled, it samples at a configurable rate as a background process throughout all normal operation after joined to the network.

3.4 BLE Operation

The ORCA supports BLE of Bluetooth 5.0 mainly aimed to be used for indoor tracking. To use this function a BLE network and localization application must be established. Tektelic LOCUS application can be used as a part of ORCA tracking solution.

The BLE function of the ORCA is Rx only; the ORCA only scans and does not advertise, which means it is not discoverable by other BLE-capable devices. During each scan, other advertising BLE devices can be discovered. Each discovered device has its data (MAC address and the RSSI of the advertisement packet) saved by the ORCA to then be reported in an UL. This UL is normally reported immediately after the scan concludes but may be delayed due to duty cycle limitations. If a new BLE scan occurs before the results of the previous scan have been sent, the old scan results will be discarded. The BLE scan can be disabled entirely or enabled at any time. BLE scans are performed periodically with a configurable scan period.

4 Basic Downlinks

ORCA use a “tick” system for reporting data. Generally, the sensor will report most important data every tick. A tick can be measured in seconds.

There are two sets of settings that must be configured in conjunction – “Core reporting tick in seconds” and “Ticks per [data/report]”.

“Core reporting tick in seconds” will determine the interval between ticks. For example, you may set it to 60 seconds or 180 seconds (3 minutes) for each tick.

“Ticks per [data/report]” determines how many ticks it will take before the sensor reports any data. For example, if you set “Ticks per Battery report” to 2, it will take 2 ticks before the sensor reports battery data.

To Change The Core Report To Every Minute

With LeapX application (you can get it on Google Play or App Store): write number 1 in the field minutes between reports, then click on save changes.

Figure 4-1 LeapX application

With ATLAS: check the box for Core report tick in seconds and ticks between ambient temperature reports. Write the values shown in the Figure 4-2 and click send.

Figure 4-2 ATLAS

Examples Of Uplinks

• 0x 00 95 00 00 71 02 44 00 46 03 3E
  • 0x 00 95 (Fix Status):
  • (0x 00) = No valid UTC and position fix available
  • 0x 00 71 (Acceleration Vector):
  • X-Axis Acceleration = (0x 02 44) × 0.001 g = 0.58 g
  • Y-Axis Acceleration = (0x 00 46) × 0.001 g = 0.07 g
  • Z-Axis Acceleration = (0x 03 3E) × 0.001 g = 0.83 g
• 0x 00 88 3E 50 B0 BC 02 2D 60 08 2A
  • 0x 00 88 (Position Coordinates):
  • Latitude = (0x 3E 50 B0) × 0.0000125° = 51.0486°
  • Longitude = (0x BC 02 2D 60) × 0.0000001° = 114.0708°
  • Altitude = (0x 08 2A) × 0.5 m = 1045 m

5 Device Configuration with ATLAS

To perform more configuration or read the data of device you can use TEKTELIC’s complementary service, ATLAS at www.atlas.tektelic.com.

There are two ways to access ATLAS:

1. Using in Offline mode

Figure 5-1 Login as offline mode

Figure 5-2 Select ORCA decoder

2. with your TEKTELIC Network Server Credentials

Figure 5-3 Login with Network server credentials

Figure 5-4 Select ORCA Decoder, application and the device

For more information follow this link https://knowledgehub.tektelic.com/kona- atlas

6 LOCUS Application

6.1 Description

Locus is an application to track and monitor all assets in your network, including indoor, outdoor, and hazardous location asset tracking. Assets can be tracked across entire campuses, multiple buildings, and floors. For more detail about Locus please visit Locus Application Documentation

Application capabilities:

• Self managed floor plan/map loading
• User management – permission levels
• Geofencing & alerts
• API to customer database integration
• Support of multiple campuses, buildings & floors
• Device management/battery status
• Integrated to enterprise SAP

6.2 Operation principle

Asset tag localization uses RSSI multilateration. The location is determined by the signal strength reported by the BLE beacon in relation to the asset tag, providing precise location accuracy (2-5m).

How It Works

1. Beacon
2. Gateway
3. Enterprise Tracker on Equipment
4. Network Server

7 Data Converters

Please follow this link: https://github.com/TektelicCommunications/data- converters/tree/master for the data converters that are to be used on TEKTELIC & other Network Server for TEKTELIC Sensors.
These data converters can be used as a reference for other platforms.

TEKTELIC’s data converters conform to the LoRa Alliance Payload Codec Specification and can be used with any 3rd party Network Server / Application Server that supports this specification.

https://resources.lora-alliance.org/technical-specifications/ts013-1-0-0 -payload-codec-api

8 Compliance Statements

Federal Communications Commission:

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

To comply with FCC exposure limits for general population / uncontrolled exposure, this device should be installed at a distance of 20 cm from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other transmitter.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (Industry Canada):

This device contains licence-exempt transmitter(s)/receiver(s) that comply with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s licence-exempt RSS(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

This device should be installed and operated with minimum distance 0.2 m from human body.

California Proposition 65:

  WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead, nickel, and carbon black, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Acronyms and Glossary

BeiDou ……….. ……….. BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), a Chinese satellite navigation system
BER …. ……….. ……….. bit error rate
BLE … ……….. ……….. Bluetooth Low Energy
bps ….. ……….. ……….. bits per second
DL …… ……….. ……….. downlink
EIRP … ……….. ……….. equivalent isotropically radiated power
FCC ….. ……….. ……….. Federal Communications Commission
GLONASS ……. ……….. GLObal NAvigation Satellite System
GNSS … ……….. ……….. Global Navigation Satellite System
GPS … ……….. ……….. Global Positioning System
IoT ….. ……….. ……….. Internet of Things
IP ……. ……….. ……….. Ingress Protection
LED …. ……….. ……….. light emitting diode
LoRa .. ……….. ……….. a patented “long-range” IoT technology acquired by Semtech
LoRaWAN …… ……….. LoRa wide area network (a network protocol based on LoRa)
LTC ….. ……….. ……….. lithium thionyl chloride (chemistry of LTC batteries)
MCU .. ……….. ……….. microcontroller unit
NS …… ……….. ……….. network server
OTA …. ……….. ……….. over the air
PCBA .. ……….. ……….. printed circuit board assembly
QZSS .. ……….. ……….. Quasi-Zenith Satellite System
RF ……. ……….. ……….. radio frequency
RSS ….. ……….. ……….. Radio Standards Specifications
RSSI …. ……….. ……….. received signal strength indicator
Rx ……. ……….. ……….. receiver, receive
SBAS .. ……….. ……….. Satellite-Based Augmentation System
Tracker ………. ……….. any variant of the Industrial GPS Asset Tracker
TTFF … ……….. ……….. time to first fix
TRM … ……….. ……….. technical reference manual
Tx ……. ……….. ……….. transmitter, transmit
UG ….. ……….. ……….. user guide (this document)
UTC …. ……….. ……….. Coordinated Universal Time
UV …… ……….. ……….. ultraviolet
ver.                              version

Revision History

• Initial draft.

0.2| Sep 23, 2019| Reza Nikjah|

• Added the resetting, awakening, powering off, and putting into DEEP SLEEP procedures. It is assumed now that the modules are shipped in closed IP67 enclosures with already installed and engaged batteries. 
• Added Acronyms and Glossary section 
• Completed the specification table 
• Edited the compliance statements 
• Made some general, minor edits

0.3| Oct 15, 2019| Conor Karperien|

• Updated design

1.0| Nov 5, 2019| Reza Nikjah|

• Released

1.1| Nov 13, 2019| Reza Nikjah|

• Removed Tracker variant models not yet available

1.2| Nov 19, 2019| Reza Nikjah|

• Consistently named the product the Industrial GPS Asset Tracker

2| 29 July 2024| Marharyta Yuzefovych|

• User-friendly format

Industrial GPS Asset Tracker User Guide     T0006279_UG     Version 2
TEKTELIC Communications Inc.

References

• ATLAS
• P65Warnings.ca.gov
• p65warnings.ca.gov/
• GitHub - TektelicCommunications/data-converters
• Kona ATLAS
• TS013-1.0.0 Payload Codec API
• ATLAS

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