Tondo Awarded Patent for Decorative and Ornamental Fixture Smart Lighting Control
Tondo Smart USA Inc., a leader in smart lighting and smart city technologies, is proud to announce the granting of US Patent 12,098,831 for Tondo’s Edge IQ smart lighting wireless controller. This innovative technology is set to transform how smart lighting controls and smart city infrastructure are deployed on roadway and outdoor area lighting fixtures.
Tondo Mobile-IQ Field App
in-field deployment and asset management tools
Tondo’s Mobile-IQ field deployment app provides a simple tool for field installers to verify device activation and collect optional in-field asset data.
However, in some cases a lighting technician may wish to make changes in the field. That’s where the Tondo Mobile-IQ field configuration app comes in:
- Scan the barcode on a Tondo controller
- Install controller
- Mobile app verifies successful installation
- Collect optional asset and operating environment data for light pole type, paint condition, wiring, and surrounding area characteristics
Tondo’s Cloud IQ integrates with any asset management or GIS software to keep all asset data current.
Request a Live Demonstration
We’ll walk you through a real-world street lighting deployment and show you how easy it will be to transform your roadway lighting assets into a Smart City platform.
Tondo Product FAQ
Has Tondo deployed to large projects?
Tondo’s project with Netivei, Israel’s national transportation authority, will reach over 200,000 light poles when completed, and an indetermined number of sensors, cameras, and energy meters.
Can we install Tondo CMS in a private cloud?
Yes. Tondo’s CMS platform is built on a cloud-native microservices architecture using Kubernetes containers. Tondo’s cloud currently resides on AWS but may be installed on Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud.
Can you create custom reports in Tondo's Cloud-IQ CMS?
A report design feature is coming soon, planned for 2023. In the meantime, Tondo’s team performs the report design work for its customers. Customers can also use Tondo’s API to pull data into their reporting and analytics tools.
What does Tondo mean by "plug and play"?
Once connected, a Tondo controller will query the type of lighting it is connected to, the sensors or devices connected to it, the GPS/GLONASS location data, and send that and the device information to the Tondo Cloud-IQ CMS and apply a default or custom profile to the device for automated configuration and instant operation.
Since Tondo devices are pre-configured at the factory, customers or their installing contractors do not need to perform any additional configuration in order to activate a Tondo controller.
How secure is a Tondo device and network?
Tondo’s Edge-IQ controllers use the ARM Cryptocell Security-on-Chip (SoC) that enables each device to be secured with a unique key stored in a secure vault. The Cryptocell cryptographic accelerator generates a unique key for every communication session, and the root key is re-generated each time a firmware update or controller reset is initiated.
Tondo controllers are serialized and provisioned for each customer site at the factory, eliminating many of the risks and the burden of managing cryptographic security within a customer’s organization.
What types of lighting fixtures does Tondo support?
Tondo’s Edge IQ controllers are designed to control LED lighting at the fixture or pole using 0-10V ANSI C137.1 or DALI-2™ IEC 62386 lighting control standards.
Tondo’s Cabinet IQ cabinet controls can also provide on/off control via astronomical clock and custom lighting profiles with Tondo’s Cloud IQ central management system for other lighting drivers that do not support dimming control.
Where are Tondo's products manufactured?
By default, Tondo manufactures its products in Israel. An option for U.S. manufacturing is available on request.
Can Tondo connect with existing operations software?
Yes. Tondo’s Cloud IQ has a robust set of application programming interfaces based on the RESTful API framework. Tondo has a number of integrations in production for CRM, ERP, service dispatch, web portals, mobile applications, and more.
Does Tondo provide pre-sale support to partners?
Absolutely. Just choose one of the buttons on our website to get in touch, and we will work with designers, architects, and systems integrators on their projects and proposals.
Does every Tondo controller need a cellular connection?
No, but all Edge IQ controllers have both Bluetooth Mesh and an integrated LTE cellular gateway to optimize connectivity to the cloud.
Tondo controllers connect with each other via Bluetooth in a star or mesh configuration, and use any controller with the cellular (EGPRS or LTE to communicate with the Tondo Cloud-IQ Central Management Software (CMS).
The advantages of having both a Bluetooth and cellular network are:
1) Reliable cellular connectivity can be impaired by buildings, tunnels, or dense foliage, where Bluetooth Mesh can route packets across the lighting network to a stronger cellular cloud connection when needed.
2) Cellular networks are energy-inefficient for battery-powered sensor connectivity, limiting them to direct-wire applications. Bluetooth sensor battery life can last up to five years.
3) Cellular base stations can be overloaded in high-demand areas or special events, and benefit from Bluetooth Mesh routing to less busy base stations for increased reliability.
How are energy savings gained from smart lighting controls?
99% of streetlights are operated on a dusk-to-dawn schedule at the full-rated power of the fixture.
However, global IEC and North American ANSI roadway lighting standards call for different levels of lighting for each scenario depending on:
- Roadway classification (vehicle volumes, speed)
- Roadway surface types
- Adjacent pedestrian and cyclist traffic to the roadway
- Intersections and crosswalks
- Specific scenarios or applications
Further, light fixtures are typically purchased over-powered for specific scenarios – up to 15% or more. Too much light or too little light can reduce safety of drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Tondo’s AI-powered Cloud IQ CMS and Edge IQ controls enable cities to enforce roadway standards, reducing energy use by 50% or more over dusk-to-dawn full-power lighting. When used with sensors that detect changing pedestrian and cyclist traffic, Cloud IQ can apply the correct standards automatically, reducing the burden of lighting management on operations teams.
Do we need a Cabinet IQ controller to make our Edge IQ fixture-based controls operate?
No. Cabinet IQ is used for advanced electricity and energy management diagnostics, relay and analog/digital control applications, and other special-purpose Smart City applications.
How can I detect electricity theft or wire theft?
When Cabinet IQ and Edge IQ controllers are used together with Tondo’s Cloud IQ CMS, the Tondo AI can use information from the secondary service point via Cabinet IQ, and the fixture end-point via Edge IQ to detect patterns in power factor and voltage drops in any specific circuit that indicate electricity or wire theft in-progress.
That data is transformed by Tondo’s AI into actionable Incidents that are sent to the Tondo Cloud IQ CMS console, and can also be passed via integration to other software systems for efficient workflow management.
What happens if my cellular provider's network goes down?
Tondo’s Edge-IQ controller contains a dual-SIM/eSIM that supports dual cellular network failover for maximum up-time.
Tondo controllers will also operate with their current profile stored in the firmware autonomously. Dimming and on/off operations are not depedent on an “always-on” cellular network connection.
Built-in sensor data is cached in the controllers until a connection is restored to prevent loss of data.
Any pending updates sent from the CMS will be updated when the connection is restored.
Do we need to purchase a separate cellular data plan?
No. Tondo has agreements with a variety of cellular network service providers and the cost of cellular data is included in the Tondo Cloud IQ central management system cost.
Where is Tondo's cloud data stored for its cloud?
Tondo provisions domestic cloud instances in all of the countries it does business in.
What kinds of sensors and devices does Tondo manufacture?
Tondo designs and manufactures sensors based on its Device IQ firmware for a variety of customer use-cases based on their specific requirements.
In some cases such as traffic, energy meter, and public safety cameras, Tondo will partner with existing providers to integrate best-of-breed solutions into the Tondo Cloud IQ central management system. This provides cities with a unified management platform for all of their connected critical infrastructure.
