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Classification of IoT Devices: Types and Categories (Class 0, 1, 2)

By RF Wireless Expert Team

Introduction

IoT devices can be classified into various categories based on their applications, such as wearables, smart home devices, and industrial IoT systems. These devices serve diverse purposes, from health monitoring to automating industrial processes. Understanding these classifications helps in designing tailored IoT solutions.

This article breaks down the types and categories of IoT devices such as class 0, class 1 and class 2, highlighting their unique applications. As we know, the Internet of Things provides features which make it possible for people and things to communicate via the internet. They communicate and reach the internet for data storage and applications using various wireless or wired infrastructures.

IoT device Figure-1 depicts internal blocks of a typical IoT device.

IoT devices are classified into two classes based on capability and ability to communicate.

  • The first class of IoT devices handle the sensors/transducers. They do not communicate with the server directly. Data from these IoT devices can be transmitted to a server using gateway devices. Typically they use Zigbee, NFC, Bluetooth and RFID standards for communication. These class of devices are battery operated and portable. Hence they require low power wireless technologies as mentioned above. They take care of single sensors and handle data volumes of smaller sizes.

  • The second class of IoT devices directly communicate to central servers for data storage. It supports the IPv6 protocol. This class of devices uses powerful processors and are not constrained by battery power. They also support gateway functionalities, wherein they support different types of communication ports such as DSL, FTTH, WiFi etc. They support multiple sensor devices.

IoT devices are further classified based on their functionalities into constrained devices and unconstrained devices. Constrained devices usually will have restrictions on memory and power supply needs. They are further categorized into class 0, class 1 and class 2 as mentioned in Table 1 below.

Classes of Constrained IoT Devices - Class 0, Class 1, Class 2

ClassRAMFlashDescription
Class 0< 1 KB< 100 KBUse a Gateway for basic communication needs.
Class 1Approx. 10 KBApprox. 100 KBUse a protocol stack as per IoT devices using CoAP. Interact with other devices without the need of a gateway.
Class 2Approx. 50 KBApprox. 250 KBThese devices support regular IPV4 and IPv6 protocols. They function similarly to other network devices.

Conclusion

Classifying IoT devices based on their types and categories provides a better understanding of their applications. Whether for personal, industrial, or commercial use, IoT devices are reshaping industries. Knowing their classification ensures better integration and utilization of IoT technology.

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