Application Scenario
Thread is specifically designed for low-power smart home devices such as lighting, thermostats, and door locks. Its mesh network supports self-healing of faulty nodes, ensuring reliable connectivity.
Thread is suitable for large commercial building automation scenarios, such as lighting, HVAC, security, and asset tracking. Its high scalability and reliability enable stable communication among a large number of devices.
Thread enables secure connection of devices to the internet and cloud through a Border Router, supporting functions like remote monitoring and firmware updates. Its 1.3.0 and 1.4 versions standardize Border Router design, further simplifying the integration process with IP infrastructure.
Thread is based on the IPv6 protocol and seamlessly integrates with existing IP networks such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The Border Router provides bidirectional IPv6 connectivity, supporting device interoperability across networks, such as connecting Wi-Fi Matter devices with Thread Matter devices in a home environment.
As a network layer protocol, Thread supports multiple application layer protocols (such as Matter, KNX IoT, DALI+) to run concurrently on a single network, enhancing the interoperability of devices from different vendors.
Thread is specifically designed for low-power smart home devices such as lighting, thermostats, and door locks. Its mesh network supports self-healing of faulty nodes, ensuring reliable connectivity.
Thread is suitable for large commercial building automation scenarios, such as lighting, HVAC, security, and asset tracking. Its high scalability and reliability enable stable communication among a large number of devices.
Thread enables secure connection of devices to the internet and cloud through a Border Router, supporting functions like remote monitoring and firmware updates. Its 1.3.0 and 1.4 versions standardize Border Router design, further simplifying the integration process with IP infrastructure.
Thread is based on the IPv6 protocol and seamlessly integrates with existing IP networks such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The Border Router provides bidirectional IPv6 connectivity, supporting device interoperability across networks, such as connecting Wi-Fi Matter devices with Thread Matter devices in a home environment.
As a network layer protocol, Thread supports multiple application layer protocols (such as Matter, KNX IoT, DALI+) to run concurrently on a single network, enhancing the interoperability of devices from different vendors.
Basic Working Principle
The Thread protocol builds a low-power IPv6 network based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. It uses a 6LoWPAN adaptation layer to compress IPv6 headers, thereby reducing transmission overhead, and performs fragmentation and reassembly when data packets exceed the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the MAC layer. Additionally, the protocol utilizes a Mesh Header at the link layer for multi-hop data forwarding, which reduces the load on the network layer, while the combination of IP routing and 6LoWPAN link-layer forwarding enhances transmission efficiency. Network devices support automatic IPv6 address configuration and transmit data through routing protocols. Security mechanisms protect data frames at the MAC layer using a network-wide key, while the DTLS protocol ensures the security of the commissioning process. New devices require authorized configuration and are uniformly managed by a Commissioner for network entry and parameter transmission.
The Thread network comprises two roles: Routers and End Devices. Routers act as the backbone of the network and remain always on, responsible for routing data packets. The Thread network can support up to 32 active routers to form a mesh topology, providing redundancy and self-healing capabilities. Routers optimize message forwarding by maintaining a routing table.
End Devices rely on a parent router for communication and can be classified into Router-Eligible End Devices (REEDs) and Sleepy End Devices (SEDs). REEDs have the capability to upgrade to a router, while SEDs are low-power devices that remain active only when necessary and do not participate in routing.
Thread network devices are divided into Full Thread Device (FTD) and Minimal Thread Device (MTD). An FTD can function as a Router, Router-Eligible End Device (REED), or Full End Device (FED), and they maintain links with neighboring routers.
MTD has lower hardware requirements and power consumption. They operate as End Devices (EDs), communicating through a parent router and waking up periodically for synchronization. End Devices are further categorized into Sleepy End Devices (SED) and Synchronized Sleepy End Device (SSED). SSED utilize the Coordinated Sampled Listening (CSL) mode to receive data, allowing for precise management of the sleep-wake cycle to achieve higher energy efficiency.
A Border Router is responsible for interconnecting Thread network nodes with external IP networks (Internet/LAN/VPN) and forwarding data. Leveraging the same IPv6 protocol eliminates the need for protocol translation, simplifying communication processes.
A Thread network can also support multiple active Border Routers to provide redundancy and resilience, avoiding single points of failure. Border Routers may additionally offer application-layer services (e.g., Thread device discovery proxies). During commissioning, when the Commissioner resides on an external network, the Border Router acts as a secure intermediary to assist device onboarding. Simultaneously, Border Routers can participate in external routing protocols, announcing global IPv6 prefixes and assigning addresses to network nodes.
Thread network implementations are categorized into three hardware architectures:
System-on-Chip (SoC): Integrates radio frequency (RF), processor, and protocol stack into a single chip. Operated directly via Thread APIs, it offers low power consumption, cost-effectiveness, and multi-protocol coexistence (e.g., Wi-Fi/Bluetooth). Ideal for end devices like sensors.
Radio Co-Processor (RCP): Deploys the protocol stack on the host processor while retaining MAC layer control on the RF module. Communication occurs via SPI/UART interfaces using the Spinel protocol. The host processor remains active to ensure reliability, making it suitable for compute-capable devices like video hubs.
Network Co-Processor (NCP): Runs the full OpenThread protocol stack on a co-processor. The host processor sends commands via UART/SPI and can enter sleep mode, while the co-processor maintains network connectivity. Designed for multi-task devices such as gateways or IP cameras.
Specification Parameters
- Compliance with the IEEE 802.15.4-2015 specification
- Hardware CSMA-CA mechanism, automatic ACK response, and FCS check
- Support for all CCA modes (ED/CS/Combined Mode) and per packet RSSI/LQI report
- Hardware AES-CCM security engine
- Coexistence mechanism for multi-protocol PHY layers
- Fully support Zigbee Pro and Zigbee 3.0 protocols
- Fully support for the latest Thread protocol (Thread 1.4)
- Other protocols based on IEEE 802.15.4, e.g., RF4CE
Advantages
Support to run Thread (or Zigebee) and BLE Protocol concurrently.
Providing a complete solution for smart home IoT with low power consumption and high performance.
Offers a variety of peripherals and provides comprehensive application examples to accelerate IoT product development.
Product Applications
