Access Control

Wireless Solutions for Commercial Access Control

Commercial access control systems are rapidly expanding beyond traditional wired installations. Wireless locks simplify retrofits, mobile credentials improve user convenience, and cloud-connected management platforms enable real-time monitoring across offices, campuses, healthcare facilities, and critical infrastructure.

Today's commercial wireless access systems typically combine Bluetooth® for mobile credentials and commissioning, proprietary IEEE 802.15.4 networks for battery-powered lock communication, external RFID/NFC credential interfaces for card-based authentication, and Wi-Fi for gateways and infrastructure devices. Silicon Labs provides the wireless connectivity, processing performance, and integrated security needed to build these systems while reducing design complexity and enabling long battery life.

Commercial Access Control System Architecture

Built for Commercial Wireless Access

Bluetooth LE for Mobile Access and Secure Proximity

Bluetooth® Low Energy has become a core technology in commercial access control systems, complementing traditional NFC/RFID credentials with secure mobile access. Across the industry, Bluetooth is widely used for smartphone credentials, installer commissioning, device configuration, diagnostics, and maintenance. Silicon Labs extends Bluetooth Low Energy with support for Bluetooth® Channel Sounding, enabling secure proximity awareness for applications such as hands-free access, secure mobile credentials, and intelligent access experiences. Compared with traditional signal strength-based proximity detection, Channel Sounding provides more accurate distance estimation and includes additional security mechanisms designed to increase resistance to relay attacks.

Reliable Wireless Lock Nerworks

Leading commercial access control platforms rely on low-power wireless networking to connect battery-powered locks, readers, and other access devices while maintaining the reliability and responsiveness expected in enterprise environments.

Silicon Labs provides a flexible wireless platform that enables these proprietary wireless architectures through support for IEEE 802.15.4-based networking, industry-leading low-power operation, and a scalable software platform. This can support building-wide coverage, responsive lock communication, flexible network topologies, and long battery life across a wide range of commercial access control products.

Security Built Into the Hardware

Access control devices protect people, facilities, and sensitive assets. Protecting credentials, firmware, and device identity is therefore essential throughout the product lifecycle.

Secure Vault™ establishes a hardware Root of Trust that helps protect cryptographic keys and device identity and supports secure boot and firmware-update mechanisms. Depending on the selected device, available Secure Vault capabilities can also help defend against physical and software attacks. Hardware-based security simplifies system design while supporting strong protection for commercial deployments.

Unified System

Traditional commercial access control products often combine multiple ICs for application processing, wireless connectivity, hardware security, and memory. These components communicate through numerous interfaces, increasing PCB complexity, software integration effort, and supply chain management.

Silicon Labs consolidates application processing, Bluetooth connectivity, IEEE 802.15.4 connectivity, embedded Flash, and Secure Vault™ within a highly integrated wireless SoC. Fewer external components simplify hardware design, reduce PCB area, shorten development cycles, and lower manufacturing complexity while maintaining the performance and security expected in commercial access control systems.

Why Silicon Labs

Commercial access control manufacturers require more than wireless connectivity. Products must maintain security, operate reliably on battery power, and scale across multiple product families. Silicon Labs supports these requirements through a unified hardware and software platform, including certified wireless protocol stacks, Simplicity Studio, development kits, security libraries, and long-term software support. A common development environment simplifies software reuse across wireless locks, readers, gateways, and controllers, reducing engineering effort while accelerating product development.

By combining wireless connectivity, application processing, and hardware security within a single platform, Silicon Labs helps manufacturers reduce system complexity while building the next generation of commercial access control products.