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Applications // Enabling IoT Technologies - Silicon Labs // Multiprotocol Wireless Technology

Multiprotocol Wireless Technology

What is Multiprotocol?

As the number of ways to connect devices grows, the need to be able to communicate securely with different types of devices becomes very important. Multiprotocol wireless technology helps address this by giving wireless devices the ability to communicate via more than one wireless protocol or frequency.

There are two primary multiprotocol types - switched and dynamic – each with its own benefits and challenges, as well as targeted use cases.  

Switched Multiprotocol involves having two separate possible modes running on one chip. Each mode from a protocol and stack point of view is separate from each other. To swap protocols, you have two options: 1) Bootload the firmware image you want that contains the other protocol stack, do the communicating, and then bootload back to the other image, or 2) Have one image that has two modes to completely enable or disable each protocol.

One example of this is a connected home device (like a door or window sensor) that only needs Bluetooth to be commissioned to join the network, and then will communicate via Zigbee for a vast majority of its life. To do this, you will ship the part with Bluetooth software programmed or enabled, interact with the user/installer via a phone, and then disable Bluetooth, enable Zigbee and join the Zigbee network. Then, typically the only way to go back to Bluetooth is via a user interrupt, like a button, or to reach out to the node via Zigbee to tell it to swap back to Bluetooth because the device cannot simultaneously remain on the mesh network and hold on to its Bluetooth connection. The time between swapping is very long – in the hundreds of milliseconds for Bluetooth and even longer for Bluetooth mesh.

Dynamic Multiprotocol is more fluid and flexible in its ability to swap and can more quickly hop between the two protocols. With dynamic multiprotocol, you do not shutdown or de-initialize the entire protocol stack; instead, you simply keep both running but swap who is using the physical radio, drastically reducing the time to switch. You are sharing the lowest level dependencies between the two protocols, which is typically the radio (this is represented as the bottom brick in the wall in the image below). By being able to swap faster, it allows Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connections to remain active, and at the same time remain on the Zigbee/Thread network, by ensuring you remain in the timing windows for each of the protocols as not to drop connection or be removed from the network. This allows the node to respond to either a command via Zigbee/Thread or Bluetooth, which means a user on the phone can control the node and the main network.

A good example of a dynamic multiprotocol application is a door lock where you want the user to be able to lock/unlock to door via Bluetooth on their phone, as well as use sensors, time schedule, or cloud command via Zigbee.

  Switched Multiprotocol Dynamic Multiprotocol
Pros
  • Typically, the cheaper overall system cost option, as your main IC can be the leanest of all the options.
  • The simplest option, as you do not have to worry about complicated software timing management
  • Requires less development
  • Enables ease-of-use because of its seamless connection
  • Maintains BLE connections while simultaneously remaining on the mesh network
Cons
  • The least flexible option is because you have to completely disable a protocol to enable the other. For example, with Bluetooth, you will lose all connections and have to reestablish them, and with Zigbee, you will be kicked off of the network.
  • Takes longer to switch between the two protocols because you have to shut down and restart each protocol every time you switch.
  • Requires expertise in software and networking and can be difficult to develop and test.
  • Requires a tight timeline to ensure you meet the requirements for keeping BLE alive

Additional Resources

Tech Talk

Multiprotocol Wireless: Real Application of Dynamic Multiprotocol 

Learning Center

Sub-GHz and Bluetooth Low Energy Multiprotocol Learning Center 

Learning Center

Zigbee and Bluetooth Low Energy Multiprotocol Learning Center 

Application Note

AN1133: Dynamic Multiprotocol Development with Bluetooth® and Zigbee

Application Note

AN1269: Dynamic Multiprotocol Development with Bluetooth and Proprietary Protocols on RAIL in GSDK v3.x

Application Note

AN1209: Dynamic Multiprotocol Development with Bluetooth and Connect

Bluetooth Mesh Network - Silicon Labs
Application Note

AN1265: Dynamic Multiprotocol Development with Bluetooth and OpenThread in GSDK v3.x

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Also of Interest:
  • Maintaining Flexibility with Multiprotocol...
  • Benchmarking Bluetooth Mesh, Thread, and...
  • Smart Medical Devices are Here to Stay...

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