SWARM Swarm Asset Tracker User Guide

User Guide for SWARM models including: Swarm Asset Tracker

Swarm Asset Tracker Product Manual

Jan 26, 2023 — This User Manual provides user information and is provided “as is.” Swarm Technologies and its affiliated companies, directors, officers, employees, agents, ...

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Swarm-Asset-Tracker-Product-Manual

Swarm Asset Tracker
PRODUCT MANUAL
Revision 1.20 · January 2023 © 2023 Swarm Technologies, Inc.

Legal Notices
This User Manual provides user information and is provided "as is." Swarm Technologies and its affiliated companies, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees or consultants ("Swarm") assume no responsibility for any typographical, technical, content or other inaccuracies in this User Manual. Swarm reserves the right to revise this User Manual or withdraw it at any time without prior notice. You can find the current version of this Swarm Modem User Manual at www.swarm.space.
SWARM MAKES NO GUARANTEES, CONDITIONS, WARRANTIES, OR REPRESENTATIONS, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS, GUARANTEES, CONDITIONS OR WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, NON-INTERFERENCE, ACCURACY OF INFORMATIONAL CONTENT, OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, LAW, USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE, USE, OR RELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OR NONPERFORMANCE OF ANY PRODUCTS, ACCESSORIES, FACILITIES, SERVICES OR USER INFORMATION, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED IN THE LIMITED WARRANTY. ANY OTHER STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE, GUARANTEES, CONDITIONS AND WARRANTIES ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. THIS DISCLAIMER AND EXCLUSION SHALL APPLY EVEN IF THE EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY PROVIDED IN THE LEGAL INFORMATION BOOKLET FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. FURTHER, THE LIMITED WARRANTY COVERS THE SWARM M138 MODEM (INCLUDING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND/OR FIRMWARE) AND ACCESSORIES ONLY, AND NO WARRANTY IS MADE AS TO USER INFORMATION AND/ OR COVERAGE, AVAILABILITY OR GRADE OF SERVICE PROVIDED BY SWARM SEPARATELY FOR SWARM SATELLITE SERVICES.
IN NO EVENT SHALL SWARM BE LIABLE, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION STRICT LIABILITY, GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR NEGLIGENCE, OR IMPLIED WARRANTY, FOR ANY DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SWARM M138 MODEM (INCLUDING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND/OR FIRMWARE) AND/OR ACCESSORIES AND/OR THE COST OF SWARM SATELLITE SERVICES PROVIDED, NOR SHALL SWARM BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR LOSS OF REVENUE OR PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF PRIVACY, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF TIME OR INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF INFORMATION OR DATA, SOFTWARE OR APPLICATIONS OR OTHER FINANCIAL LOSS CAUSED BY THE SWARM MODEM-M138 (INCLUDING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND/ OR FIRMWARE) AND/OR ACCESSORIES AND/OR THE SWARM SATELLITE SERVICES, OR ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ABILITY OR INABILITY TO USE THE SWARM MODEM-M138 (INCLUDING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND/OR FIRMWARE) AND/OR ACCESSORIES AND/OR THE SWARM SATELLITE SERVICES , TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THESE DAMAGES MAY BE DISCLAIMED BY LAW AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SWARM WAS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF SUCH DAMAGES.

SWARM ASSET TRACKER PRODUCT MANUAL · REV 1.20 · JANUARY 2023 PAGE 2

Third Party Information This User Manual might refer to third party sources of information, hardware or software, products or services and/or third party web sites ("third party information"). Swarm does not control, and is not responsible for, any third party information, including without limitation the content, accuracy, copyright compliance, compatibility, performance, trustworthiness, legality, decency, links, or any other aspect of third party information. The inclusion of such third party information does not imply endorsement by Swarm of the third party information. ANY THIRD PARTY INFORMATION THAT IS PROVIDED WITH SWARM'S FACILITIES, SERVICES, PRODUCTS OR USER INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS.'' SWARM MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS, GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES IN RELATION TO THIRD PARTY INFORMATION AND SWARM SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSSES, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES, JUDGMENTS, FINES, AMOUNTS PAID IN SETTLEMENT, EXPENSES OR COSTS OF DEFENSE SUSTAINED IN RELATION TO ANY SUCH THIRD PARTY INFORMATION.
Intellectual Property, Trade Secret, Proprietary or Copyrighted Information To protect Swarm proprietary and confidential information and/or trade secrets, this User Manual may describe some aspects of Swarm technology in generalized terms. Swarm products may include copyrighted Swarm and third party software. Any such copyrighted software contained in Swarm products may not be modified, reverse engineered, distributed or reproduced in any manner to the extent provided by law. The purchase of any Swarm products shall not be deemed to grant either directly or by implication or otherwise, any license under copyrights, patents, or patent applications of Swarm or any third party software provider, except for the normal, nonexclusive, royalty free license to use that arises by operation of law in the sale of a product.
Content Copyright You are exclusively responsible for the use of the Swarm Modem-M138, including proper use of third party copyrighted materials. If you violate these terms you agree to defend, indemnify and hold Swarm harmless with respect to any claims or actions by third parties related to your improper use of copyrighted materials and to pay all costs, damages, fines and other amounts incurred by Swarm, or on its behalf, in the defense of any such claims or actions.
Export Compliance The Swarm Modem-M138 is controlled by the export laws and regulations of the United States of America. The U.S. Government may restrict the export or re-export of this product to certain individuals and/or destinations. For further information, contact the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security or visit www.bis.doc.gov

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Revision History

Revision Date

Comment

1.00 09/16/22 Swarm Asset Tracker Product Manual - Initial Release
1.10 10/13/22 Formatting Updates Updated Sections 1 and 4 Added Sections 7 and 8 Added FCC Statement of Compliance
1.11 10/27/22 Added FTDI Pinout to Section 4.3 Added USB Charging Note to Section 4.4
1.20 01/26/23 Updated Sections 4.3 and 7.1

Firmware Version 3.0.0
3.0.1

SWARM ASSET TRACKER PRODUCT MANUAL · REV 1.20 · JANUARY 2023 PAGE 4

Additional Resources:
Please visit our developer tools webpage for quickstart guides and other helpful resources: https://swarm.space/documentation-swarm

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Revision History

Additional Resources:

1 Product Overview

2 Device Registration

3 Mechanical Specification

3.1 Dimensions

3.2 Environmental

3.3 Torque Specifications

4 Electrical Interfaces

4.1 DC Power Interface and Charging

4.2 Power On/Off Control

4.3 Serial Data Interface

4.4 USB Power and Data Interface

5 Mounting Guidance

5.1 Mounting Feet

5.2 Magnet Mounts

5.3 VHB Tape

5.4 Pole Mounting Kit

6 RF Interfaces

6.1 RF Antenna

6.1.1 Antenna Characteristics

7 Message Transmission

7.1 Motion Detection Disabled

7.2 Motion Detection Enabled

8 Transmitted Data

8.1 Description of Transmitted Parameters

8.2 Accessing Transmitted Data using the Swarm Hive

8.2.1 Map Page

8.2.2 Reports Page

8.2.3 REST API

8.2.4 Delivery Webhooks

9 FCC Statement of Compliance

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1 Product Overview

The Swarm Asset Tracker is an end-to-end solution for tracking equipment, vehicles, and other remote assets. The Swarm Asset Tracker functions anywhere in the world using Swarm's global satellite network, and is ideally suited for remote locations that lack terrestrial network coverage.
The Swarm Asset Tracker is an out-of-the-box commercial product that can be set up within minutes to transmit its GPS information and internal battery voltage.

Category

Description

Components

GPS, VHF radio with integrated ground plane, Integrated rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, indicator LEDs, 3.3V serial interface, USB interface

Onboard Sensors

uBLOX GPS (lat/lon/alt), CPU Temperature, Motion wake/sleep triggers

Dimensions and Mass

120 mm x 120 mm x 45 mm, 227 g

Power

Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery M8 - External DC Power Connection (6-28V)

Environment

IP67 - Dust and Waterproof Operational: -40 C to +60 C Storage: -40 C to +85 C

Configuration

1 GPS acquisition every 2 hours with 1 transmissions per 2 hour window Motion detection enabled

Battery Lifetime

40+ days, or longer depending on transmit interval and motion when not connected to external power

Data rate

1 kbps (1-way)

Table 1: Overview of the Swarm Asset Tracker.

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2 Device Registration
Create your Swarm Hive account at https://bumblebee.hive.swarm.space/hive/ui/sign-up and sign into your account. Navigate to the Register Device page:

Figure 1: Swarm Hive Register Device Page.
Click Start Scanning to scan your Swarm Asset Tracker's QR Code that is located on the sticker affixed to the enclosure. If you are unable to use the browser-based scanner, you can also use your camera app to scan the Asset Tracker QR code, and enter the auth code in the Hive manually. See example below:

Figure 2: Sample Device Registration Process.

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3 Mechanical Specification

3.1 Dimensions

The overall dimensions of the Asset Tracker and its weight are summarized below.

Parameter

Value

Length Width Height with Antenna Weight
Table 2: Modem Mechanical Dimensions and Weight.

120.0 mm 120.0 mm 250 mm 227 g

For detailed dimensional drawings of the Asset Tracker's enclosure, please refer to the drawings available here for Hammond P/N 1557D.

3.2 Environmental

The environmental specifications of the Asset Tracker are summarized below.

Parameter Operating Temperature Range Storage Temperature Range Operating Humidity Range Storage Humidity Range Ingress Protection
Table 3: Environmental Specifications.

Value -40 °C to +60 °C -40 °C to +85 °C 0% to 95%, non-condensing 0% to 95%, non-condensing IP67 - Dust and Waterproof

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3.3 Torque Specifications
The torque specifications for the Asset Tracker are summarized below.

Parameter Enclosure screws kit Antenna SMA connector M8 power connector
Table 4: Torque Specifications.

Recommended Value 78 ozf-in 10 in-lbs 8.8 in-lbs

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4 Electrical Interfaces

The following subsections contain information for the electrical interfaces of the Modem.
4.1 DC Power Interface and Charging

External DC voltage can be supplied from the asset via an onboard male M8 circular connector pictured below. The asset should be capable of supplying the required current in order to recharge the onboard batteries. The Asset Tracker can also be charged via micro-usb, see Section 4.5 for more details. The unit will ONLY charge between -10C and +50C. All other functions will work uninterrupted across the operating temperature range.

Asset Tracker Connector Pinout
3,4
1,2

Function
6-28 VDC GND

Internal Wire Color
BLUE, GRAY RED, BLACK

Figure 3: External View of the Asset Tracker's M8 Connector.
Example Mating Connector TE: T4010008041-000
Example Power Cable FESTO: NEBB-M8G4-P-5-LE4

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Input Voltage [VDC] 6 9 12 18 24 28
Table 5: External Power Current Draw.

Typical Current Draw [mA] 1000 620 460 300 230 200

Figure 4: DC Input Voltage vs. Current Draw.

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4.2 Power On/Off Control
In order to power the Asset Tracker ON, press the ON/OFF button once. You'll see dim lights around the edge of the PCB light up. In order to power the Asset Tracker OFF, press the ON/OFF button again.

Figure 5: Power On/Off Button.

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4.3 Serial Data Interface
The serial data interface is a CMOS serial UART 3-wire (serial Rx, serial Tx, and ground) interface at 3.3V digital signal levels over which the Modem transfers commands, responses, and message data. The FTDI header for the serial data interface is accessible inside the enclosure after removing the 4 screws at the bottom. The serial communication parameters can be found below.

Figure 6: Serial Data Interface.

Pin Number

Function

GND

N.C

Asset Tracker Rx

Asset Tracker Tx

N.C

Table 6: FTDI Serial Header Pinout

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Parameter

Value

Baud Rate

115200

Data Bits

8 Bits

Parity

None

Stop bits

1 Bit

Flow Control

None

Table 7: Serial Data Interface Specifications.

In addition, the electrical characteristics for SERIAL_RX, SERIAL_TX can be found below.

Symbol Parameter

Min

Typ. Max

Unit

VIL

I/O input low level voltage

-0.3

0.3*3.3V V

VIH

I/O input high level voltage

0.7*3.3V -

3.3V

Table 8: Electrical characteristics for SERIAL_RX, SERIAL_TX.

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4.4 USB Power and Data Interface
A USB interface is provided via a micro-usb connector accessible inside the enclosure after removing the 4 screws at the bottom. The connector can be used to charge the Asset Tracker and for configuration of the Asset Tracker. The unit will ONLY charge between -10C and +50C. All other functions will work uninterrupted across the operating temperature range. The current consumption during USB charging is 500mA.

Figure 7: USB Power and Data Interface.
Notes:
The Asset Tracker should be in its OFF state with the VHF antenna removed while charging the batteries via the micro-USB connector.

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5 Mounting Guidance
This section describes the recommended mounting practices for successful deployment of the Swarm Asset Tracker.
5.1 Mounting Feet
Please refer to this document on Hammond's website for instructions on how to install the enclosure mounting feet.
5.2 Magnet Mounts
Magnet mounting can also be utilized. A total of 4 magnets per Asset Tracker are recommended for reliable mounting of the device. An example magnet part number is provided below along with the recommended screw part number.
Example Magnet Mounts McMaster Carr: 7132T27
Example Screws for Magnet Mounts McMaster Carr: 91292A108
5.3 VHB Tape
The Asset Tracker can also be mounted using double sided Very-High-Bond (VHB) tape. A link is included below for a variety of VHB tape options that can be selected and used based on the specific requirements of the user application and deployment environment.
Example Screws for Magnet Mounts McMaster Carr: VHB Tape Options

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5.4 Pole Mounting Kit
Pole mounting kits can be purchased fromHammond Manufacturing at this link. The mounting kit can be used to secure the Asset Tracker to a variety of surfaces quickly and securely. Please refer to this document on the Hammond website for mounting instructions.
Recommended Pole Mounting Kit Hammond: PMB Series

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6 RF Interfaces
This section describes the physical characteristics of the RF connectors and specifications of the RF Interface.
6.1 RF Antenna
For illustrative purposes, a picture of the Swarm ¼-wave antenna is shown in Figure 9.

Figure 8: Swarm Coiled ¼ Wave Antenna.

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6.1.1 Antenna Characteristics

The Modem is certified with the following antenna as described below. No power reduction compensation is required for use with this antenna.

Swarm Coiled ¼ Wave Antenna

Parameter

Value

Length

22.0 cm

Diameter (Connector)

11.2 mm

Diameter (along major length)

7.6 mm

Weight

31.5 g

Operating Temperature

-55 °C to +130 °C

Operating Humidity

0-100% humidity, condensable

Impedance

50 Ohms nominal

Polarization

Linearly Polarized

VSWR (between Swarm Bands)

Max < 0.5

Gain

2.0 dBi

Nominal Output Power

30 dBm (Declared)

Frequency

137.000-138.000 MHz (Rx) 148.000-150.000 MHz (Tx)

Connector

SMA male (U.FL to SMA female cable required)

Antenna Ground Plane

Required, integrated into the Asset Tracker

Antenna Height Requirement

1m above the ground/solid surfaces

Antenna Classification

Mobile, Fixed

Minimum separation distance from body

36 cm

Table 9: Antenna Characteristics for Swarm Coiled ¼ Wave Antenna.

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7 Message Transmission
7.1 Motion DetectionDisabled
The Swarm Asset Tracker will acquire 1 GPS acquisition every 2 hours with 1 message transmission per 2 hour window. A visual representation of the Asset Tracker configuration is shown in Figure 9 below. Motion detection is enabled for all units, and acts as a modifier for the configuration shown in this section. More information regarding motion detection can be found in Section 7.2.

Figure 9: Visual Representation of the Swarm Asset Tracker's Configuration.
In the first GPS state, the Asset Tracker will attempt to acquire a GPS fix for up to 4 minutes. The acquired data will be queued for transmission. Once a GPS fix is acquired, the Asset Tracker will transition to its receiver state (Rx) for up to 40 minutes where it will listen for satellite beacons to trigger a transmission (Tx). The Asset Tracker will then transition to its sleep mode as soon as the queued message is transmitted, or if 40 minutes have passed. It will remain in its sleep mode until 2 hours have passed since its initial power-on time, and it will then repeat the same sequence.

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7.2 Motion Detection Enabled
When motion detection is enabled, it acts as a modifier for the profile described in Section 7.1.
If motion is detected while the Asset Tracker is awake and not in its sleep mode, there will be no change to the configured profile.
There are two possible scenarios that could occur if motion is detected while the Asset Tracker is in its sleep mode. If the motion event occurs before the next scheduled normal wake time, then the Asset Tracker will go back into its sleep mode until the next regularly scheduled wake time. If the motion event occurs after the next scheduled normal wake time, then the Asset Tracker will wake immediately and start a new acquisition cycle.
The Asset Tracker will continue to follow its profile configuration while it still has messages that are queued for transmission if motion is detected when the device is ready to transition into its sleep mode. When the transmission queue is empty after following the profile configuration, the device will enter its sleep mode indefinitely until a new motion event is detected.
For all profile configurations, regardless of whether motion detection is enabled or not, the Asset Tracker will return to its sleep mode early if all queued messages are transmitted.

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8 Transmitted Data
8.1 Description of Transmitted Parameters

Identifier Description

GPS date/time of sample at time of packet creation

GPS latitude

GPS longitude

GPS altitude

GPS speed

GPS heading

Battery voltage

CPU temperature

Background RSSI at time of packet creation

RSSI of most recent satellite beacon

SNR of most recent satellite beacon

GPS date/time of most recent satellite beacon

gj*

GPS jamming level*

gs*

GPS spoofing indicator*

hp*

Horizontal dilution of precision*

vp*

Vertical dilution of precision*

tf*

Time to fix*

Table 10: Description of Transmitted Parameters.

*These parameters are Swarm specific and subject to change.

Units Epoch seconds Degrees Degrees Meters m/s Degrees mV °C dB dB dB Epoch seconds N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

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8.2 Accessing Transmitted Data using theSwarm Hive
8.2.1 Map Page
The Map Page on the Swarm Hive will show the last known location of the device along with historical data. After logging in, the user can navigate to this page and filter devices using the Device ID of the Asset Tracker.
8.2.2 Reports Page
The Swarm Hive can be used to generate reports for Asset Tracker data. Reports can be configured using the Reports Page after logging into the Swarm Hive. The reports can be customized by using the provided filters for device ID, date, and location. The data for each report can be viewed on a map, and also in tabular format. The data from each report can also be exported and downloaded as a CSV file.

Figure 10: Map View Example of a Report Generated on the Swarm Hive.

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8.2.3 REST API
Customers can extract data from the Swarm Hive by using the provided REST API. Documentation for the REST API can be found on the Swarm Hive's API Docs page linked here. The API Docs page provides a list of REST endpoints that are available from Swarm for customers to use. Each endpoint can be tested using the interactive API Docs page to test the functionality and also view the expected response.
8.2.4 Delivery Webhooks
Customers can choose to have transmitted data automatically pushed to their own backend server using the Swarm Hive's webhook functionality. Webhooks can be configured using the Delivery Page on the Swarm Hive that is linked here. Each delivery method can be customized using the parameters provided, and existing delivery methods can also be edited as required.

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9 FCC Statement of Compliance
Swarm Technologies, Inc.
435 N. Whisman Rd. Ste 100 Mountain View, CA 94043
Model: ATM138
Contains FCC ID: 2AVE9-M138 Contains IC: 25817-M138
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.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 Canada

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References

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