Mesh networking platform works with smart home devices

Qualcomm Incorporated, through its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., announced the Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform, a unique combination of technologies upon which original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and broadband carriers can deliver next-generation connected home experiences. Devices based on the Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform will be designed to deliver robust and consistent connectivity to smart home devices in every corner of the home, as well as feature voice control capabilities, centralized management and security, and a range of mesh system features essential for carrier-grade networks. Complementing the platform is the Qualcomm® Mesh Networking Reference Design, which provides OEMs an accelerated path for development of these next-generation networking products.

“Qualcomm Technologies helped create a new category of mesh networks that are transforming in-home connectivity. With our new Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform, we are building upon that foundation to accelerate the next generation of mesh systems to further enhance connected services in the home,” said Gopi Sirineni, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “New capabilities like voice assistance and IoT radio integration will not only transform consumer experiences at home, but along with carrier-grade feature enhancements, make it easier for our customers to adopt and deploy mesh systems aligned to how people want their networks to perform.”

The Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform is based upon the Qualcomm® IPQ40x8/9 network system-on-chip, which is used in nearly every mesh networking product available today. The Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform includes:

• Qualcomm® Wi-Fi Self-Organizing (SON) feature suite serves as one of the first collection of SON features designed to ensure corner-to-corner Wi-Fi coverage, easy set-up, automatic management and traffic optimization with near-zero user intervention, as well as additional security safeguards.
• Carrier-Grade features are designed to make it easier for carriers to enhance their broadband services with Wi-Fi SON, making application programming interfaces (APIs) available for easier porting of SON on to other silicon platforms. Qualcomm Technologies is also enabling software features, such as cloud-based diagnostics to enable remote monitoring, diagnostics and analytics for troubleshooting.
• Integrated voice capabilities allow consumers to control and interact with devices on their network using their voice. The Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform can support a built-in microphone array and speaker, voice recognition software, and supports APIs to the most popular cloud-based assistant applications.
• Backhaul flexibility offers a variety of backhaul options that can be used to maximize the performance of mesh networks, including 802.11ac, 802.11ad, 802.11ax, or Powerline technologies.
• Qualcomm® IoT Connectivity Feature Suite is designed to help ensure compatible and simultaneous use of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, CSRmesh™ connectivity, and 802.15.4-based technologies across a network, while also supporting previously announced communication protocols, cloud services and software frameworks. This allows it to act as a universal translator of diverse connectivity technologies and ecosystems, to minimize complexity and ease fragmentation challenges for manufacturers, developers and consumers.
• Qualcomm Mesh Networking Reference Design offers manufacturers an expedient path for the commercialization of next-generation networking products with cutting-edge features. This allows for completely new avenues of differentiation and business partnerships for OEMs, cloud providers and the IoT client/device ecosystem by centralizing the connectivity and control mechanics into the network.