This paper presents a maritime machine-type communication (MTC) concept dedicated to the maritime Internet of Things (IoT). It first outlines the unique maritime MTC requirements on the ubiquity, continuity, heterogeneity, simplicity, interoperability, and scalability for maritime IoT applications and services. It then addresses these requirements through a concrete maritime MTC system design, based on the international VHF maritime mobile spectrum recently allocated for maritime MTC by ITU to enable maritime IoT under the name e-Navigation. Finally, it highlights the potential pitfalls to avoid in development and standardization of the maritime MTC technology.
Satellite machine-type communication plays a crucial role in the maritime Internet of Things.The realization of such a system, i.e., the VHF data exchange (VDES) satellite system, however, faces many technical challenges. Due to its global broadcasting nature, the interference generated from the emissions of the VDES satellite space stations to the incumbent or future land systems in the same band is of major concern to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) spectrum allocation. However, neither regulatory rules nor related studies have been specified or made available in the literature regarding such interference. This paper utilizes the electromagnetic power flux density (PFD) mask concept for evaluating and constraining the emission onto earth from a satellite space station. The mathematical analysis and derivation are based on the principle that the actual interference from a space station that a land system experiences is no worse than that from any other land system allowed by the regulations. We demonstrate the derivation of such a PFD mask from three closely related regulations on the legacy land mobile systems by the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) and ITU and present the corresponding constraints imposed on the VDES satellite system and their impacts on the performance of the system.INDEX TERMS Maritime Internet of Things, e-navigation, maritime machine-type communication.
The concept of maritime Internet of Things is developed initially to modernize the maritime industries by the United Nations chartered International Maritime Organization under the name e-Navigation. At the heart of this concept is the maritime machine-type communication (MTC) technology. However, maritime MTC faces many unique challenges that are different from its land counterparts in many ways, rooted in the unique maritime environments, service requirements, and the radio spectrum. This paper presents the challenges and solutions from the perspective of architecture and radio spectrum with a focus on allocation, interference, and regulations, as well as management and sharing techniques. INDEX TERMS Maritime Internet of Things, maritime machine-type communication, radio spectrum, spectrum management, spectrum sharing, unified air interface.
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