Q&A on Connectivity: Mesh Networking and the Growth of IoT Devices

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Q&A on Connectivity: Mesh Networking and the Growth of IoT Devices [Copy link]

Wireless connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) have become one. According to IDC, by 2025, there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices or “things,” generating 79.4 zettabytes of data. Mesh networks will be the key mechanism by which IoT devices in homes, cities, and enterprise environments use this vast amount of data. How does all of this tie together (pun intended) in our world, and what role does Qorvo play? Tony Testa provides some insights.

Q: Tony, what is a mesh network?

A: A mesh network is a topology where every node is connected. It can use a single internet access gateway that connects to every network node; or the nodes themselves can connect and communicate with each other. Mesh networks can easily extend the range of wireless devices throughout an area, such as an office, home, or even outdoors.

Each device in the network has two ways to send and receive information. The entire network is not dependent on one device for communication, so if one node cannot communicate, the network can still continue to work through other nodes. Each network node and interconnected devices (such as light bulbs, TVs, tablets, appliances, etc.) can communicate back and forth using multiple wireless standards.

Q: How do mesh network nodes work with IoT devices in the home?

A: Today's mesh network devices are not limited by broadband signals. They can communicate through multiple standards to extend the coverage of networks such as Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth Low Energy, ZigBee, Thread, etc.

In a full mesh network, all devices are connected and can communicate with each other. This provides full redundancy and maximizes network performance. Mesh networks can effectively extend the signal range to cover the entire home and are also an economical solution. This improves reliability and ensures real-time communication with all devices.

In addition, some of them can store data. This stored data can save costs for network users, further improve network reliability, and support smarter data-driven applications.

Q: What benefits does mesh networking bring to home IoT?

A: Mesh networks provide a self-healing algorithm that automatically selects the best path to send data even if some nodes accidentally lose connection. The algorithm

only supports valid and available connections. Even if some devices are not working, the entire network can still work. Mesh networks also allow devices to communicate directly with each other without having to go back to a gateway. Mesh networks are always accessible, always online, and highly reliable, bringing real advantages to IoT applications.

Here’s another advantage:

Each radio signal from the hub doesn’t need to be strong enough to reach the edge of the network. This means that each node doesn’t need to send a strong signal to each hub, which is a big advantage for IoT applications where size and power are constrained.

All nodes in the network can communicate directly with each other without the intervention of a gateway. This reduces latency and gateway burden.

When objects block the transmission of radio signals, the point-to-point connection of the hub nodes can bypass the obstacles, so no node is isolated.

Wi-Fi Technology and Trends

For practical design advice from Wi-Fi expert Tony Testa, read the other blogs in this series.

Q&A on Connectivity: Enhancing Smart Home Design with Wi-Fi Mesh Systemshttps
://www.qorvo.com/design-hub/blog/connectivity-q-and-a-mesh-wifi-systemsQ&A

on Connectivity: Reducing Wi-Fi Interferencehttps
://www.qorvo.com/design-hub/blog/connectivity-q-and-a-reducing-wifi-interferenceQ

: Can you provide some insight into the use cases for mesh networks today?

A: Mesh networks offer many benefits to homes, businesses, or cities. For in-building automation, mesh networks can connect hundreds or thousands of nodes, such as sensors, actuators, and other gateways. This provides businesses with a self-healing connectivity capability, so if one node fails, another can be found to take its place.

Building automation can be implemented using a mesh network topology without worrying about future layout changes. Mesh networks combined with IoT also bring opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI), a large market that is about to explode.Q

: Today's latest technological advancement is ultra-wideband (UWB). Can you provide some details on how UWB fits into a home mesh network system?

A: Ultra-wideband, or UWB, is specifically designed for location systems. The technology has been around for a while, but has recently gained a lot of interest, mainly due to Apple's integration of the technology in the iPhone 11.

Apple's UWB technology enables spatial awareness, allowing the phone to recognize the surrounding environment and other iPhone 11 users nearby. This type of location awareness technology can instantly map the network topology, and each node can provide precise spatial awareness, which helps to build a more efficient mesh network.

UWB technology can achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy, which is critical for spatial awareness or other high-precision applications. The combination of high-throughput Wi-Fi 6 mesh (as a backhaul) and high-precision UWB enables scalable network designs.

Tony's Conclusion

Wireless connectivity is integrating into every aspect of our lives. Mesh networks and the Internet of Things are even more inseparable. I provided a short snapshot of the technology standards used in home mesh networks and the Internet of Things. Qorvo provides content for all of these wireless technology standards, such as Wi-Fi, UWB, Thread, ZigBee, Bluetooth Low Energy, and others not mentioned, such as cellular, cable and fiber networks.

Our solutions are designed to deliver high-performance, reliable, compact end products that enable fast data transfer and extended signal range, so that everyone can enjoy instant connectivity without interruption.

兰博

The Internet of Things must rely on mesh networks, which can connect hundreds or thousands of nodes, thus providing a self-healing connection capability.

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Lambo published on 2020-12-29 09:59 The Internet of Things must rely on mesh networks, which can connect hundreds or thousands of nodes, thus providing a self-healing connection capability

Insightful, expert