IoT Architecture Model and Layered Design for the Lan Platform

When designing the Lan (GitHub: https://github.com/phodal/lan) IoT platform, the author built a practical IoT architecture model based on previous experience.

IoT Layered Structure

Typical online diagrams show a three‑layer model, separating the network layer from the application functions, but in practice the author prefers a four‑layer architecture:

Hardware Layer – acquires and sends sensor data, executes commands; connections include serial, Bluetooth, wired, SPI, Wi‑Fi, USB, etc.

Coordination Layer – bridges the hardware layer with the server, handling part of the data processing; communication relies on network links and the hardware connections.

Service Layer – acts as the server side; the core follows a traditional web‑application structure but replaces the protocol layer with various adapters, suggesting the use of a hexagonal architecture.

Application Layer – provides user interaction and experience.

The following table summarizes the layers:

Layer

Function

Connection to Next Layer

Hardware Layer

Acquire, send sensor data, execute commands

Serial, Bluetooth, wired, SPI, Wi‑Fi, USB, etc.

Coordination Layer

Coordinate hardware‑server communication and process part of the data

Network connection and hardware‑layer interfaces

Service Layer

Server‑side processing (viewed as server layer)

Network connection

Application Layer

Provide user interaction functions

Network connection

The hardware layer is typically developed jointly by hardware engineers and developers, while the coordination layer is a critical part that heavily influences the overall IoT system design.

IoT Service Layer

The service layer follows the traditional web‑application structure, but its protocol layer is replaced by adapters to support multiple protocols, making a hexagonal architecture a suitable choice. The user ultimately interacts with the application layer, which requires good UX design and smooth performance.

In designing the Lan platform, the author incorporated user authorization and modular loading concepts, resulting in a model that abstracts away specific frameworks and implementations to focus on business logic.