How-to video | Achieve seamless interoperability in your next IoT design

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How-to video | Achieve seamless interoperability in your next IoT design [Copy link]

introduction

Today, our homes are dotted with hundreds of new IoT devices. They connect our phones to the web, perform tasks with simple voice commands, keep our homes secure with door locks and cameras, and more. In fact, Statista predicts that by 2030, the number of connected IoT devices worldwide will reach 50 billion.

The main goal of these devices is to make our lives easier, healthier, and safer. However, we are all too familiar with the situation where we buy a new IoT device and it cannot communicate with our existing network, which is the exact opposite of making our lives easier and better. This is really disappointing because we thought that these so-called smart devices would be able to connect to our existing network that works well. In fact, it is exactly the opposite. In order to get such devices to communicate with our network, we need to download apps, perform complex settings, and perform unexpected operations.

Manufacturers are aware of this challenge for consumers, and know that it will only grow as more IoT devices enter our homes. Their initial goal was to alleviate this problem by making IoT devices interoperable. However, they sometimes fall short because many IoT devices use different protocols or languages. Some devices use Wi-Fi, while others use Bluetooth or ZigBee. Of course, there are other reasons, including manufacturers using their own proprietary protocols.

Standards bodies and manufacturers recognize the importance of interoperability. First, it helps drive greater consumer adoption. Second, it enables a more cohesive approach to IoT device design. To further aid in the design of such devices, Qorvo IoT engineers have developed a highly integrated single-chip solution that not only implements Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, and new important standards, but also adds ConcurrentConnect technology.

ConcurrentConnect technology accelerates communication, increases home network capacity and scalability, and allows manufacturers to create future-proof connected devices such as lighting and smart home sensors. The technology helps remove barriers to the smart home by enabling multiple smart devices to operate simultaneously, regardless of the major wireless standard they use.

The video, titled “Qorvo Makes IoT Simpler with ConcurrentConnect Technology,” provides practical tips on how ConcurrentConnect technology can help address IoT design challenges so designers can future-proof connected devices, enable faster IoT device communications, increase network capacity, and improve scalability of the IoT-connected home.

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You will learn:

ConcurrentConnect Technology

IoT device communication methods

Multi-protocol support

On May 11, 2021, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) announced the launch of the Matter protocol, an interoperable, secure connectivity standard for future smart homes, formerly known as Connected Home over IP (CHIP). Matter is a unified IP-based connectivity protocol built on proven and reliable technology to help connect and build a secure and reliable IoT ecosystem.

Learn more

https://zigbeealliance.org/news_and_articles/chip-is-now-matter/

How ConcurrentConnect Technology Works

Today’s IoT communications devices typically employ some form of dynamic multiprotocol support. This on-chip functionality utilizes time-division multiplexing to communicate with multiprotocol network devices.

However, Qorvo is taking dynamic multi-protocol support a step further. ConcurrentConnect technology allows for smooth and continuous reception and response from multiple protocol devices. It also reduces communication latency while further improving network capacity and quality of service.

Real-world examples

Let’s look at a real network scenario using a non-Qorvo IoT node that combines ZigBee and BLE devices. When a non-Qorvo node connects without ConcurrentConnect technology support, it can only switch back and forth between the two standards instead of communicating between one standard at a time. This back and forth switching reduces efficiency, communication drops and delays because only one standard can communicate while the other waits for an opportunity to start communicating. Therefore, communication between the two standards will encounter node bottlenecks within a set time period.

However, when using a Qorvo IoT device node, ConcurrentConnect technology enables instantaneous communication switching between Bluetooth and ZigBee devices. When using a single-chip solution powered by ConcurrentConnect, communications from multiple standards and devices can be managed simultaneously without latency.

As you can see, combining ConcurrentConnect technology with an IoT communication solution can help your smart home customers reduce dropped calls between multiple protocol standards. This highly integrated solution is available as part of a small package device such as our communication controller portfolio, including the QPG6100, QPG7015M, QPG6095 and QPG6095J.

Finally, ConcurrentConnect technology eliminates the need for manufacturers to choose in advance which technology (ZigBee, Thread or BLE) to incorporate into their devices. They can also reduce part count, thereby reducing costs, simplifying development and support, and providing consumers with smaller, more aesthetically pleasing form factors.

For more information on this topic, we recommend watching the short video tutorial “Qorvo Makes IoT Simpler with ConcurrentConnect Technology” and reading the white paper “Solving the Challenges of Multi-Standard Devices in the Connected Home.”

statista data

https://www.statista.com/statistics/802690/worldwide-connected-devices-by-access-technology/

important

https://buildwithmatter.com/

ConcurrentConnect Technology

https://www.qorvo.com/newsroom/news/2021/qorvo-launches-first-smart-home-device-controller-to-support-simultaneous-wireless-communications

Qorvo Makes IoT Simpler with ConcurrentConnect Technology

https://www.qorvo.com/design-hub/videos/qorvo-makes-iot-easy-with-concurrentconnect-technology

QPG6100

https://www.qorvo.com/products/p/QPG6100

QPG7015M

https://www.qorvo.com/products/p/QPG7015M

QPG6095

https://www.qorvo.com/products/p/QPG6095

QPG6095J

https://www.qorvo.com/products/p/QPG6095J

Solving the challenges of diverse, multi-standard devices in the connected home

https://www.qorvo.com/resources/d/qorvo-concurrentconnect-solving-the-challenge-of-many-devices-with-multiple-standards-in-the-connected-home-white-paper

About the Author

David Schnaufer

Technical Marketing Communications Manager

David is the public voice for Qorvo's Applications Engineering. He provides deep technical insights into RF technology trends and offers advice to help RF engineers solve complex design problems.

Jacktang

If you have to switch back and forth between the two standards, it will definitely increase the communication delay. It seems that there is no good way to solve this problem of modern communication.

“When using a single-chip solution powered by ConcurrentConnect, communications from multiple standards and devices can be managed simultaneously without latency.”