Field data transmission system, SESAME-SATREPS,

by using cell-phones digital telecommunications network

Yukihisa SHIGENAGA1, Hidenori TAKAHASHI2, Rony TEGUH 3, Wisnu KENCANA4,

Seiji YOKOYAMA1 and Adi JAYA5

1 Midori Engineering Laboratory Co.,Ltd.,1-23 N5 W6 Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0005 JAPAN,

[email protected]
2 CENSUS, Hokkaido University, N9 W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0809 JAPAN,
[email protected]
3 Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, N13 W8, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, 060-8628 Japan, [email protected]
4 Faculty of Engineering, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya, 73111 Indonesia,
[email protected]
5 Faculty of Agriculture, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya, 73111 Indonesia,
[email protected]

The field data (water level, rainfall etc.) were sent successfully by using a mobile phone network and
data logger with modem, and saved in the server automatically. Telecommunication system is now
changing from P2P system to M2M system. The M2M system is used in the new data transmission
system, SESAME-SATREP. Data in the field are gathered and sent in one server through the system.
So we can collect field data in the office very quickly. Most important points of the instrument are
energy source, which is operated by a small solar panel, and the free SIM card of GSM, which makes
the instrument to be used in GSM/GPRS or W-CDMA(3G) aria .
Keywords: telemeter, field measurement, telecommunication network

Introduction
The population of mobile phone user is remarkable not only in developed countries but also in
developing countries. Also in Kalimantan, Indonesia, the most of the signboard beside road
are almost about SIM card of mobile phone. It seems the mobile phone communications
network is established at frightful speed in the world. Especially the data transmission
system using a mobile phone communications network can build telemeter system easily and
cheaply.
Moreover, comparing with the conventional infrastructure, it is pointed out that the restoration
is earlier than normal wired telecommunication system at the time of disasters. Also in the
Great East Japan Earthquake, the communication using the internet attracted attention with
more speedy and smooth transmittance of information than that of the voice communication.
The telemeter system using these mobile phone communications networks became the 3rd
generation by which the mobile phone was digitized, and spread dramatically. Moreover, also

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in developing countries, a mobile phone spreads explosively, and it was said in 2007 that the
diffusion rate reached to 50 parents of the population of the world. The data transmission
system using this portable communications network has been performed about ten years ago.

1. Changes to M2M system from P2P system

1-1. P2P system
The P2P system connects mutually between the terminals which have an equal relation on
a network by the abbreviation for Peer to Peer directly, and means the communication method
which transmits and receives data. It is a system which exchanges data on one to one level.
By calling to the point, the communication is established and data transfer is carried out. This
system is used for the facsimile. The key map of P2P system is shown in Fig. 1. Although this
system has been established
technically, and used generally
even now. This system has a
disadvantage in slow
communication time. It needs to
dial one by one, and takes time to

Fig. 1. Diagram of P2P system collect data. Moreover, the

charge is also expensive.

1-2. M2M system

The M2M, machine to machine, system is a system which performs advanced control and
operation autonomously, when a machine and a machine exchange information mutually
through a communication network. This system usually used for data collection, remote
monitoring and control combining with the instruments other than such communication use as
computer.
This system can treat a lot of data in a short time. The amount of data, which P2P system
takes 1 hour to analyse, is analysed in one minute by M2M system. This is because it can
communicate with many channels with a server. It came to be able to do simply by using the
technology of the Internet. Therefore, for future data communications, M2M system becomes
indispensable from communication expense, time restrictions, etc.
1-3. History of M2M system
The forerunner of M2M system in Japan is a DoPa system of NTT, Nippon Telegraph and
Telephone Corporation, DoCoMo, which started in 1996 and finished in March, 2012. DoPa
system became popular quickly after the start of the i-mode in 1999. The system applied to
the remote monitoring of the automatic vending machine and the vehicle managing system
which was combined with GPS and DoPa.
On the other hand, the system of KDDI is called CIPL. Data is collected in the server of the

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data collecting center, which is managed by a company. It is necessary to connect the server in
the center and the user’s server for data transfer by using a dedicated line connection. The
use’s servers should be managed by users themselves. Therefore, a management service of
small-scale DoPa or CIPL is necessary.
2. Internet and mobile phone networks at present time, June in 2012
Under the present circumstances, M2M system is major system. The most of the system is
combined the communication module shown in Fig. 2. However the communication cost
became very cheap by using an exclusive card for data communication after introduction of
SIM free system in Japan. By using the modem, the communication box, shown in Fig. 3,
data can be easily sent from overseas.
In the project “Wild fire and carbon management in peat/forest in Indonesia” of JST-JICA
joint program “Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development,
SATREPS”, the demonstration test was conducted. And the data of groundwater level, rainfall,
air and soil temperatures were successfully sent to a server in Japan. It carried out by using
SIMs (Telekomsel, Indosat), which are circulated in Indonesia.
At the present time, the M2M system-1 shown in Fig. 2 is used for sending a small amount
of data with high security. And the M2M system-2 shown in Fig. 3 is used to send a large
amount of data from overseas. The system used by WEB is most suitable for downloading
data.

Fig. 2 M2M system-1

Fig. 3 M2M system-2

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 3. The details of data transmission from overseas
A pressure sensor type water gauge (4-20mA output) and a tipping bucket type rain gauge
and a thermistor sensor thermometer were used in the demonstration test in Central
Kalimantan, Indonesia. The SESAME-01Ⅱ was used as a data logger. This data logger has
two threshold values for control of observation and transmission intervals. The threshold
values are used to send alarm information. The composition of a system is shown in Fig. 4
and Photo.1. The site of the field observation is shown in Photo. 2.

Fig. 4. Diagram of M2M system used in Indonesia

GPS
It reaches.
For
communication
Antenna
Data
Logger
Modem

Photo. 1. Data logger and inside of the Photo. 2. Water gauge and rain gauge set in a
transmission apparatus. field on the peatland in Central Kalimantan

By inserting SIM in a modem and setting up APN (the access point name), the mobile phone
network of the GSM/GPRS system, which is currently used in countries in Southeast Asia, accessed
and sent data to the serve in Japan. The data actually sent from Kalimantan are shown in Fig.5 and Fig.
6. The data of the groundwater level, air and soil temperatures, and rainfall were measured at a
10-minute interval, and data were sent to the server which set to Japan every 1 hour. The groundwater

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 level raised sensitively after the rainfall in the figure. It was not considered before several years ago
that these data can be obtained easily and in a moment from Kalimantan locating 5,700 km far from
Japan.

Fig. 5. Groundwater level and rainfall measured at Taruna Jaya in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Data were measured in the field and transmitted to the server in Sapporo, Japan.

Fig. 6. Water level of River Sebangau at the boat house in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Data were measured in the field and transmitted to the server in Sapporo, Japan.

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4. Transmission of image data
The camera image and video picture have been sent successfully from Kalimantan to Japan
using the same data logger and network. The unlimited SIM card is necessary to send the
camera image and video picture, because the data sizes are very large. However, since the
camera and router use about 10W of electric power supplies, the commercial AC electric
power is necessary.
5. Future development
There are many demands of data and image transmissions from field to laboratory
instantaneously and smoothly. The image data are expected to use for checking the data and
situation of instruments. Furthermore, the ADHOC system will be use for data transmission
from the area without mobile phone signal to the mobile phone area. Design of the new
system, which are developing now is shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7. Diagram of control box with several sensors and WEB camera

Acknowledgements
A part of development of this system was performed as activity of the project “Wild fire and
carbon management in peat/forest in Indonesia” of JST-JICA joint program “Science and
Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development, SATREPS

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