MODULE 3 – IoT SYSTEMS & PYTHON LOGICAL DESIGN (EXAM NOTES)
CONTENTS
1. Weather Monitoring Case Study (IoT Design Methodology)
2. Python Installation
3. Python Data Types & Structures
4. Control Flow
5. Functions
6. Modules
7. Packages
8. File Handling
9. Date & Time
10. Classes (OOP)
11. Python Packages for IoT (JSON, XML, HTTP, SMTP)
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1. WEATHER MONITORING CASE STUDY – SIMPLE EXPLANATION
Purpose: To monitor temperature, pressure, humidity, light using IoT end nodes.
Process:
• Sensors read values every fixed interval.
• Data is stored temporarily.
• Data is sent to cloud for processing.
• Cloud aggregates, analyzes, and visualizes readings.
Models:
A. Process Specification
– Read sensors → Store → Send → Wait → Repeat.
B. Domain Model
– Physical Entity: Environment
– Virtual Entity: Digital representation
– Devices: Temp, pressure, humidity, light sensors, mini-computer
– Services: Controller service
– Resources: On-device & cloud resources
C. Information Model
Attributes: temperature, pressure, humidity, light
Each attribute stores the sensed value.
D. Controller Service
– Runs every 15 seconds
– Reads sensors
– Sends data to cloud using REST API
E. Deployment
– Multiple sensor nodes in different locations
– All send data to cloud database
– Cloud performs aggregation and prediction
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2. INSTALLING PYTHON
Windows:
Download from python.org and run installer.
Linux (Ubuntu):
sudo apt-get install build-essential
sudo apt-get install required libraries
wget Python source
configure → make → make install
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3. PYTHON DATA TYPES & STRUCTURES
Numbers: int, float, long, complex
Strings: Sequence of characters
Lists: Mutable, ordered
Tuples: Immutable version of list
Dictionaries: Key-value mapping
Type Conversion: int(), float(), str(), list(), set()
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4. CONTROL FLOW
if, elif, else → decision making
for → iterate through sequence
while → loop until condition false
range → generate number sequence
break → exit loop
continue → skip current iteration
pass → do nothing (placeholder)
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5. FUNCTIONS
def functionName(parameters):
function body
Features:
• Default arguments
• Keyword arguments
• Variable length (*args)
• Pass-by-reference (lists change globally)
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6. MODULES
Module = Python file containing functions/classes.
Import using:
import module
from module import function
dir(module) → list functions inside module.
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7. PACKAGES
Package = Folder containing Python modules + __init__.py
Used for organizing large projects.
Example: skimage package with subfolders.
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8. FILE HANDLING
open(filename, mode)
Modes:
r – read
w – write
a – append
rb / wb – binary
Functions:
read(), readline(), readlines(), write(), tell(), seek(), close()
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9. DATE & TIME OPERATIONS
datetime module → date, today(), strftime(), date difference
time module → timestamps, formatting, localtime(), strftime()
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10. CLASSES (OOP)
Class contains:
• Constructor (__init__)
• Destructor (__del__)
• Instance variables
• Class variables
• Methods
Inheritance → Child class reuses parent class.
Overriding → Child replaces parent method.
Hidden attributes → __variable
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11. PYTHON PACKAGES FOR IoT
A. JSON
Easy format for transferring data.
json.dumps() → encode
json.loads() → decode
B. XML
Structured data with tags.
Use xml.dom.minidom to parse & generate XML.
C. HTTP Requests
Using httplib2 / urllib2
GET, POST requests to send/receive IoT data.
D. SMTP (Email)
Used for sending alerts from IoT devices:
Use smtplib module.
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END OF MODULE 3 NOTES
