UNIT 4
Protocols for Industrial Internet Systems (also referred to as the Industrial Internet of
Things (IIoT)) are essential for enabling communication between devices, machines, and
software systems in industrial environments like manufacturing, energy, and transportation.
These protocols ensure interoperability, real-time data exchange, security, and reliability.
Introduction to Legacy Industrial Protocols
Legacy industrial protocols are communication standards developed during the early stages
of industrial automation. These protocols played a vital role in enabling field devices to
exchange data reliably. Despite the evolution of modern protocols like OPC UA, MQTT, and
DDS, many legacy protocols continue to be used due to their reliability, simplicity, and
compatibility with existing infrastructure. These protocols often operate over serial
communication lines, such as RS-232 or RS-485, and are designed to withstand harsh
industrial environments.
Modbus
Modbus, developed by Modicon in 1979, is one of the oldest and most widely used
industrial communication protocols. It follows a master/slave architecture, where a master
device initiates queries and the slaves respond with data. Modbus supports multiple
variants:
• Modbus RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) uses serial communication over RS-232 or RS-
485.
• Modbus ASCII transmits data in human-readable ASCII characters.
• Modbus TCP/IP is a modern adaptation that runs over Ethernet networks.
Modbus is favored for its simplicity, open standard, and wide device support, making it a
default choice in many factories and legacy control systems.
Profibus (Process Field Bus)
Profibus, developed in the 1990s by Siemens and standardized under IEC 61158, was created
to improve communication in factory and process automation. It comes in two main types:
• Profibus DP (Decentralized Peripherals) is used for fast data exchange between
controllers and field devices.
• Profibus PA (Process Automation) is used in hazardous environments and supports
power over the communication line.
Profibus uses a token-passing method to avoid communication collisions, which ensures
timely and orderly data transfer. It has been widely adopted across industries like
automotive manufacturing, chemical plants, and water treatment facilities.
CAN (Controller Area Network)
The Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol was developed by Bosch in the 1980s for
automotive applications, but it soon found use in industrial settings due to its reliability and
robustness. CAN supports multi-master communication, meaning any device on the
network can initiate communication if the bus is free. This makes it ideal for systems where
real-time, event-driven communication is critical.
CAN uses a message-based protocol rather than device addressing, which simplifies system
design and improves fault tolerance. It is commonly found in robots, elevators, industrial
vehicles, and embedded systems.
DNP3 (Distributed Network Protocol)
DNP3 is a protocol specifically designed for communication in utility automation systems,
such as electric power, water, and gas. It was developed to provide reliable communication
over long distances and noisy environments, which is typical in power grids and
substations.
DNP3 supports time-stamped data, event logging, and secure communication. It can
function in both master/slave and peer-to-peer configurations.
HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer)
HART is a hybrid protocol that overlays digital communication over existing 4–20mA analog
wiring. It was developed to help transition from analog to digital systems without
completely replacing the infrastructure. HART allows for two-way communication, enabling
devices like sensors and actuators to send diagnostic and configuration data while still
supporting analog process signals.
HART is especially useful in process industries such as chemical plants and refineries, where
upgrading entire systems can be costly. Many modern field instruments still include HART
support for backward compatibility.
Why Legacy Protocols Are Still Relevant
Even though more modern protocols like OPC UA, EtherCAT, and MQTT are being adopted,
legacy protocols continue to hold significant importance. They are:
• Reliable and well-tested: Decades of real-world usage have proven their reliability in
industrial settings.
• Cost-effective: Upgrading to modern systems requires replacing not only the
communication protocol but also the connected devices, which is expensive.
• Long system lifespans: Industrial systems often have life cycles exceeding 20 years,
making backward compatibility essential.
• Simple and deterministic: These protocols are easy to implement and offer
predictable timing, which is crucial for control applications.
Summary Table
Main
Protocol Developed By Typical Use Case Key Strengths
Communication Type
Simple, open
Modbus Modicon Serial/TCP PLCs, sensors
standard
Factory/process Fast, supports
Profibus Siemens RS-485
automation many devices
Message-based Robust, multi-
CAN Bosch Robots, vehicles
(serial) master capable
Utility networks,
DNP3 GE Harris Serial/Ethernet Reliable, secure
SCADA
Hybrid Smart field Backward
HART Rosemount
(analog+digital) instruments compatible
Introduction to Modern Communication Protocols
Modern communication protocols are designed to meet the demands of Industry 4.0, where
real-time data, cloud integration, cybersecurity, and interoperability are essential. These
protocols enable devices, machines, and software platforms to exchange data efficiently and
securely, often over IP-based networks like Ethernet and the Internet. They support
machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-to-cloud, and edge computing architectures, forming
the backbone of smart factories, remote monitoring systems, and IoT-enabled industries.
OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture)
OPC UA is one of the most important and widely adopted modern industrial communication
protocols. It is the successor to the older OPC Classic, and offers platform independence,
meaning it works across Windows, Linux, embedded systems, and even cloud platforms.
OPC UA supports both client-server and publish-subscribe architectures, making it
extremely flexible. It also provides a rich data model, allowing complex data types, alarms,
events, and historical data to be transmitted. Most importantly, OPC UA has built-in
cybersecurity features such as encryption, authentication, and authorization, making it
suitable for modern secure industrial networks.
MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)
MQTT is a lightweight, publish-subscribe messaging protocol designed for low-bandwidth,
high-latency networks. It’s ideal for resource-constrained devices such as sensors, actuators,
and embedded systems.
In MQTT, devices (clients) publish messages to a broker, which then distributes those
messages to subscribers. This model decouples the data producer and consumer, improving
scalability. MQTT is commonly used in remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and
real-time IoT applications, especially where power and bandwidth are limited. It also
supports Quality of Service (QoS) levels to ensure reliable delivery.
CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol)
CoAP is designed for constrained devices and networks and operates over UDP rather than
TCP, which makes it faster and more efficient in certain IoT applications. CoAP follows a
RESTful model similar to HTTP, with support for methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.
Its small packet size and low overhead make it well-suited for wireless sensor networks,
smart energy systems, and building automation. CoAP also supports multicast
communication, which can be useful for simultaneously updating multiple devices.
AMQP (Advanced Message Queuing Protocol)
AMQP is a message-oriented middleware protocol designed for enterprise-level, secure,
and reliable communication. It is more feature-rich than MQTT and is often used in
environments that require transactional messaging, message routing, and queuing.
AMQP is common in sectors like financial services, logistics, and industrial cloud
integration, where guaranteed delivery, message persistence, and complex routing logic are
necessary. It’s heavier than MQTT, but offers strong message integrity and delivery
guarantees.
DDS (Data Distribution Service)
DDS is a real-time, data-centric publish-subscribe protocol standardized by the Object
Management Group (OMG). It enables devices to exchange data with strict quality-of-
service (QoS) constraints and minimal latency.
DDS is commonly used in aerospace, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and medical systems,
where real-time data sharing and system resilience are critical. Its peer-to-peer architecture
eliminates the need for a central broker and allows scalability and redundancy.
Introduction to Proximity Network Communication Protocols
Proximity network communication protocols refer to wireless communication technologies
designed for short-range data exchange between nearby devices. These protocols are
crucial in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) environments for machine-to-machine (M2M)
interaction, sensor communication, asset tracking, and local automation control. Their low
power consumption, compact size, and ease of deployment make them ideal for modern
industrial applications where wired communication is impractical.
Bluetooth & Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Bluetooth is a widely-used short-range communication protocol that enables devices to
exchange data over distances of up to 10–100 meters, depending on the version and power
class. In industrial applications, its variant Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is more popular due
to its ultra-low power consumption, making it suitable for battery-powered sensors and
wearables.
BLE supports a star topology, where a central device communicates with multiple
peripherals. It’s used in condition monitoring, equipment diagnostics, and proximity-based
tracking systems.
Zigbee
Zigbee is a low-power, low-data-rate wireless protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4
standard. It is designed for applications requiring secure, reliable communication over short
distances (up to 100 meters). Zigbee supports mesh, star, and tree topologies, enabling
devices to relay messages through intermediate nodes, thus extending coverage.
Zigbee is ideal for smart lighting, environmental monitoring, building automation, and
wireless sensor networks (WSNs). It operates in unlicensed frequency bands (2.4 GHz
globally) and supports up to 65,000 nodes, making it suitable for large-scale industrial
deployments.
NFC (Near Field Communication)
NFC enables communication between devices over extremely short distances—typically less
than 10 cm. It is based on RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology and is primarily
used for authentication, access control, and device pairing.
In industrial systems, NFC is used for secure operator identification, equipment
commissioning, wireless diagnostics, and asset tagging. It allows fast, tap-to-connect
experiences and is particularly useful in harsh environments where physical connectors
might fail.
RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification)
RFID is used for wireless identification and tracking of objects. It consists of RFID tags
(attached to assets) and RFID readers (which scan the tags). RFID operates in various
frequency ranges (low, high, ultra-high frequency) depending on the required range and data
rate.
In industrial environments, RFID is extensively used for inventory control, supply chain
tracking, tool management, and automated quality control. Passive RFID tags do not
require power, making them ideal for long-term deployment.
Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi Direct allows devices to connect directly without requiring a traditional Wi-Fi access
point. This peer-to-peer technology provides high data rates over short distances and is
used in applications requiring large file transfers or firmware updates between nearby
devices.
In industrial settings, Wi-Fi Direct can be used for on-site diagnostics, data offloading from
machines, or mobile maintenance applications, where engineers need to temporarily
connect to a machine for inspection or update purposes.
Advantages of Proximity Protocols in Industry
Proximity network communication protocols offer several benefits in industrial scenarios:
• Low Power Consumption: Ideal for battery-powered sensors and wearables.
• Ease of Deployment: Wireless connectivity avoids complex cabling.
• Scalability: Mesh networking supports large sensor networks.
• Accuracy: Technologies like UWB provide precise location tracking.
• Security: Many proximity protocols have built-in encryption and authentication.
Summary Table
Protocol Range Topology Use Cases Key Features
10–100 Sensors, asset tracking, Low power,
Bluetooth/BLE Star, Mesh
meters diagnostics smartphone-compatible
Smart lighting,
~100
Zigbee Mesh, Star environmental Scalable, low power
meters
monitoring
Authentication,
NFC <10 cm Peer-to-Peer Very short range, secure
equipment pairing
cm to Inventory, asset No power for passive
RFID Tag/Reader
meters tracking tags
Wi-Fi Direct Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Direct Wi-Fi Direct Wi-Fi Direct
Direct
Wireless Communication Technologies in Industrial Systems
Wireless communication technologies form the backbone of modern industrial automation,
enabling remote control, real-time monitoring, data exchange, and inter-device
coordination without physical wiring. These technologies are essential in hard-to-reach,
hazardous, or large-scale industrial environments, where wired connections are impractical
or costly.
1. Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)
Wi-Fi is one of the most widely used wireless technologies in both consumer and industrial
domains. Based on IEEE 802.11 standards, Wi-Fi supports high data rates (up to several
Gbps) and operates over 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
In industrial settings, Wi-Fi is used for remote equipment access, mobile device
communication, and cloud data transfer. However, interference and latency issues in
congested environments can be concerns. Industrial-grade Wi-Fi routers with rugged
enclosures and enhanced signal reliability are often used to address these challenges.
2. Bluetooth & Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Bluetooth is a widely-used short-range communication protocol that enables devices to
exchange data over distances of up to 10–100 meters, depending on the version and power
class. In industrial applications, its variant Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is more popular due
to its ultra-low power consumption, making it suitable for battery-powered sensors and
wearables.
BLE supports a star topology, where a central device communicates with multiple
peripherals. It’s used in condition monitoring, equipment diagnostics, and proximity-based
tracking systems.
3. Zigbee
Zigbee is a low-power, low-data-rate wireless protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4
standard. It is designed for applications requiring secure, reliable communication over short
distances (up to 100 meters). Zigbee supports mesh, star, and tree topologies, enabling
devices to relay messages through intermediate nodes, thus extending coverage.
Zigbee is ideal for smart lighting, environmental monitoring, building automation, and
wireless sensor networks (WSNs). It operates in unlicensed frequency bands (2.4 GHz
globally) and supports up to 65,000 nodes, making it suitable for large-scale industrial
deployments.
4. LoRa and LoRaWAN
LoRa (Long Range) and its network protocol LoRaWAN are used for long-range, low-power
wireless communication. LoRa operates in sub-GHz frequency bands (such as 868 MHz or
915 MHz), offering transmission distances of up to 15 kilometers in rural areas.
It is ideal for agriculture, smart cities, and utility monitoring, where low data throughput
but wide-area coverage is required. LoRaWAN supports star topology and is optimized for
low-power, battery-operated devices.
5. Cellular Networks (3G, 4G, 5G)
Cellular networks offer wide coverage and high-speed communication. Industrial systems
often use 3G and 4G LTE for connecting remote machinery, vehicles, and field instruments
to central servers or the cloud.
5G, with its ultra-low latency, high reliability, and enhanced device density, is becoming
crucial for mission-critical applications like real-time robotic control, remote diagnostics,
and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in smart factories. Private 5G networks are also
being deployed in industrial zones for secure and high-performance connectivity.
6. NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things)
NB-IoT is a cellular LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) technology designed
specifically for IoT applications. It supports massive numbers of low-cost, low-power
devices with deep indoor penetration and extended battery life.
NB-IoT is suitable for smart metering, asset tracking, and environmental monitoring in
industries like utilities, logistics, and manufacturing. It operates on licensed spectrum,
ensuring reliability and security.
7. RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification)
RFID is used for wireless identification and tracking of objects. It consists of RFID tags
(attached to assets) and RFID readers (which scan the tags). RFID operates in various
frequency ranges (low, high, ultra-high frequency) depending on the required range and data
rate.
In industrial environments, RFID is extensively used for inventory control, supply chain
tracking, tool management, and automated quality control. Passive RFID tags do not
require power, making them ideal for long-term deployment.
Industrial Gateways: Bridging the Digital and Physical Worlds
Industrial gateways are specialized devices used in industrial automation systems to
connect, translate, and secure communication between different devices, networks, and
protocols. They play a vital role in enabling interoperability between legacy equipment,
modern IoT devices, and cloud platforms in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
ecosystem.
1. What Is an Industrial Gateway?
An industrial gateway acts as a bridge between different communication protocols or
network types. In factory environments, machines and sensors often use different, often
incompatible protocols (e.g., Modbus, PROFIBUS, OPC UA). Gateways translate data from
one protocol into another, making it possible for disparate systems to communicate
effectively.
For example, a gateway can convert sensor data from Modbus to MQTT so it can be sent to
a cloud dashboard. Without gateways, modern digital infrastructure cannot interact with
legacy industrial equipment.
2. Functions of Industrial Gateways
Industrial gateways serve multiple functions, including:
• Protocol Conversion: Translating data between field-level protocols (like
Modbus, CAN, or PROFIBUS) and higher-level protocols (like MQTT, OPC UA, HTTP).
• Network Bridging: Connecting fieldbus networks to Ethernet or wireless
networks.
• Security Enforcement: Acting as a firewall or data filter, they can monitor and
restrict unauthorized data flow.
• Edge Processing: Some gateways can perform local analytics, data filtering, and
decision-making before sending data to the cloud (this is known as edge computing).
• Cloud Integration: Sending device data to cloud platforms like AWS IoT, Microsoft
Azure, or Google Cloud using protocols like MQTT, CoAP, or HTTPS.
4. Role in Industrial IoT (IIoT)
In IIoT, industrial gateways are essential because they serve as the data highway between:
• Machines and cloud platforms
• Legacy systems and modern IoT devices
• Wired and wireless systems
They help industries become smart and connected, facilitating real-time monitoring,
remote control, and AI-powered analytics. Gateways often come with built-in SDKs,
container support (e.g., Docker), and can even run machine learning models locally.
5. Security Features
Because gateways are the entry points into an industrial network, they include strong
cybersecurity features, such as:
• VPN support (e.g., OpenVPN, IPsec)
• Deep packet inspection
• Intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS)
• Firewall and port filtering
• Encrypted protocols like TLS for cloud communication
6. Industrial Gateway Use Cases
Use Case Description
Enables old PLCs to send data to modern systems via
Legacy Equipment Integration
protocol conversion
Cloud Connectivity Sends factory data to AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
Processes machine data locally to detect anomalies or
Edge Analytics
trigger alarms
Monitors machine health and predicts failures before
Predictive Maintenance
they happen
Use Case Description
Tracks industrial equipment in the field using cellular
Remote Equipment Monitoring
networks
Final Thoughts
Industrial gateways are critical enablers of digital transformation in manufacturing, utilities,
oil & gas, and transportation sectors. They allow industries to preserve investments in
legacy equipment while embracing smart technologies and cloud computing. As Industry
4.0 evolves, gateways will become even more powerful with built-in AI, machine learning,
and seamless 5G integration.
Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP)
The Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a special web transfer protocol that operates
with constrained nodes and networks. These networks are commonly used for applications
such as the Internet of Things (IoT), where devices may have limited processor, memory, and
power resources. CoAP is intended to be simple, low-overhead, and efficient, making it ideal
for machine-to-machine communication.
What is CoAP?
CoAP or Constrained Application Protocol, as the name suggests, is an application layer
protocol. CoAP is designed for the constrained environment. It is a web-based protocol that
resembles HTTP. It is also based on the request-response model. Based on the REST-style
architecture, this protocol considers the various objects in the network as resources. These
resources are uniquely assigned a URI or Uniform Resource Identifier. The data from one
resource to another resource is transferred in the form of CoAP message packets whose
format is briefly described later. The Client requests for some resources and in response to
that, the server sends some response over which the client sends an acknowledgement.
How Does CoAP Works?
Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is an application layer protocol designed for
resource-constrained devices and networks, particularly in the context of the Internet of
Things (IoT).
• Client-Server Model: CoAP model is essentially a client/server model enabling the
client to request for service from server as needed and the server responds to
client's request.
• Resource-Oriented: CoAP treats various objects in the network as resources, each
uniquely identified by a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). Clients can request
information about these resources, and servers provide responses2.
• Methods: CoAP supports several methods similar to HTTP:
o GET
o POST
o DELETE
o PUT
• Asynchronous Messaging: CoAP messages are asynchronous because it uses
the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Unlike TCP-based protocols, CoAP does not
require acknowledgments for every message, which helps conserve energy in
resource-constrained devices.
• Energy Efficiency: CoAP is designed to minimize energy consumption while
simplifying communication between clients and devices. It achieves this by managing
resources, providing device descriptions, and supporting mechanisms to determine if
a device is powered on or off.
Methods in CoAP
• GET - The get method is used to retrieve resource information identified by the
request URI. In response to GET method success a 200(OK) response is sent.
• POST - The post method creates a new subordinate resource under the parent URI
requested by it to the server. On successful resource creation on the server, a 201
(Created) response is sent while on failure a 200 (OK) response code is sent.
• DELETE - The delete method deletes the resource identified by the requested URI
and a 200 (OK) response code is sent on successful operation.
• PUT - The PUT method updates or creates the resource identified by the request URI
with the enclosed message body. The message body is considered as modified
version of a resource if it already exists at the specified URI otherwise a new resource
with that URI is created. A 200 (OK) response is received in former case whereas a
201 (Created) response is received in later case. If the resource is neither created nor
modified then an error response code is sent.
The most fundamental difference between CoAP and HTTP is that CoAP defines a new
method which is not present in HTTP. This method is called Observe method. The observe
method is very similar to the GET method in addition with an observe option. This alerts the
server, to send every update about the resource to the client. Therefore, upon any change in
the resource, the server sends a response to the client. These responses could either be
directly sent individually or they can be piggy-backed.
CoAP Features
• Lightweight and Simple
• RESTful Architecture
• UDP-Based
• Asynchronous Communication
• Multicast Communication
• Proxy and Caching
Applications of CoAP
• Real Time Monitoring in Grid - Smart cities can monitor the distribution and
generation of power remotely. The CoAP sensors could be embedded inside the
transformers and the data could be transferred over GPRS or 6LowPAN.
• Defense utilities - The armory and tanks are now-a-days fitted with sensors so that
information could be communicated remotely without any interference. The CoAP
sensors could detect any intrusion. This makes them capable to transfer more data
even under low bandwidth network.
• Aircraft utilities - The Aircraft sensors and actuators could be connected with other
sensors and communication can take place using smart CoAP based sensors and
actuators.
