Smart technology for a strong manufacturing industry with 24/7 uninterrupted production of IIoT solutions for companies.
We helped a fast‑growing player in sustainable home heating move from prototype to mass production. As embedded/IoT partner, we were responsible for:
the original embedded Linux firmware for the central controller (the CiC, “Commander‑in‑Chief”),
the OTA (Over-The-Air) update system (architecture, security, rollout strategy),
the CiC concept & system design, and
the fleet onboarding process at the PCB assembler/producer in China.
Outcome: a robust, secure, and maintainable IoT foundation powering thousands of devices in the field, with zero‑downtime updates and full traceability.
A hybrid heat pump orchestrates a boiler, outdoor unit, thermostats, and sensors. The customer needed:
one brain (CiC) that continuously reads the home and balances heat pump vs. boiler,
software that keeps improving without truck rolls,
a factory process that scales: secure provisioning of serials, certificates, and calibration data at the EMS in China,
low field failure rates and fast remote diagnostics.
We designed the functional concept and system boundaries for the CiC:
Data ingestion from thermostats, flow/temperature sensors, and the outdoor unit.
Decision logic to optimise comfort, cost, and efficiency.
Cloud integration (telemetry, configuration, app) with privacy‑by‑design and data minimisation.
A clear split between time‑critical control and non‑critical services (logging, updates, UI).
We delivered the base firmware the ecosystem builds on today:
deterministic boot & service model with built‑in recovery,
hardware abstraction for sensors/actuators,
observability hooks (structured logging/metrics) for support and data‑driven iteration,
security by default (least privilege, signed artifacts, strict network paths).
We architected the OTA chain so updates are atomic, verifiable, and roll‑backable:
cryptographically signed images and integrity checks,
staged rollouts (canary → rings) with auto‑rollback on failure,
throttling & maintenance windows to avoid comfort impact,
full device life‑cycle: factory image → first‑boot claim → in‑field updates → service ops.
Together with the EMS we defined the line process:
secure provisioning (keys/certs, serial numbers, calibration data),
test jigs and end‑of‑line checks that integrate with the OTA and device registry,
traceability: every board and unit linked to batch, test results, and provisioning events.
Field reliability: safe updates with fallback reduce tickets and truck rolls.
Faster feature velocity: controlled releases without site visits.
Scalable manufacturing: less friction at the line; faster volume ramp‑up.
Consistent installer experience: CiC‑to‑cloud works “out of the box,” speeding up installs.
Embedded/IoT consulting & architecture
Lead for CiC firmware foundation, OTA and factory onboarding
Bridge between product, hardware, cloud, and production partners
Embedded Linux
secure boot & update chain
device registry & claim flow
telemetry/logging
test jigs & end‑of‑line
cloud integration
Fewer truck rolls. Safe, roll-backable OTA cut onsite interventions.
Higher release velocity. Features and fixes shipped on a controlled cadence.
Stable field fleet. Deterministic boot, health checks, and recovery reduced incident rates.
Faster diagnostics. Structured logs and telemetry shortened time-to-root-cause.
Smoother production. Secure provisioning at the EMS removed bottlenecks on the line.
Full traceability. Every board and device linked to test results, keys, and batches.
Lower lifetime cost. Remote ops and safe updates decreased operational spend.
Future-proof platform. Clear separation of real-time control vs. services keeps changes low-risk.
Same comfort, less gas. Smarter balance between heat pump and boiler.
No disruption. Updates happen quietly in the background.
Faster improvements. Features appear without waiting for a service visit.
Reliable heating. Automatic rollback protects against failed updates.
Clear app experience. Settings and status are consistent and responsive.
Peace of mind. The system “just works,” even during maintenance windows.