The big challenge in the Internet of Things (IoT) is the large variety of devices that need to work together. One solution to this conundrum is the Matter-unifying Internet Protocol (IP)-based connectivity protocol.
Matter was developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) to make it easier for device manufacturers to build devices compatible with smart home and voice services such as Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, Google's Assistant and other applications including HVAC/building automation systems. CSA members have taken an open source approach to development and implementation. By leveraging technology contributions, CSA can accelerate the development of the protocol and quickly deliver benefits to consumers, developers and manufacturers. The following table Silicon labssummarizes the most important functions of Matter for you.
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Benefits for the consumer |
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simplicity |
The products are easy to purchase, set up and use |
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compatibility |
Devices from multiple brands work together natively |
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Privacy |
Consumers have control over privacy and authorization to interact with devices |
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Benefits for developers |
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Unification of the application layer |
Simplifies development, reduces development and operating costs |
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Open source |
Community collaboration improves quality, accelerates development, and captures broader use cases |
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Proven technologies |
Faster time to market as developers can leverage existing implementations |
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IP class security |
Open source and trusted cryptographic algorithms with well-protected keys. |
As the name suggests, CSA uses an open source approach To:
- Create more connections,
- Simplify development and
- Increase compatibility, giving end users confidence and connectivity through certified products.
Similar to industrial protocols, Matter uses this The application layer of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model is used to host protocol details and builds on the lower layers – such as the transport and network layers – to enable reliable communication between nodes.
Like other industrial protocols that are scaling down to reduce their footprint due to the controlled environments in which they are used, Matter does the same:
- The application layer of matter is the highest. It is based on the unified data model to improve interoperability and conforms to the high-level logic of the device.
- The data model layer corresponds to the way data and action elements support the functionality of the application, such as: B. the definitions of the elements, namespaces for endpoints, clusters and attributes in the application; And
- Network credentials are only assigned to Matter devices after authentication and verification.
This combination of features enables encryption and authentication of all unicast messages and provides relay protection.
As an IPv6-based protocol, Matter uses transport layer protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to facilitate network addressing and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for reliable transmission of data packets.
Although Matter can leverage any IPv6-capable network, the specifications focus exclusively on three link layer technologies that make this possible Matter is intended to run on Wi-Fi and Thread network layers while using Bluetooth Low Energy for startup. Thread is a low-power wireless networking protocol that enables reliable communication between nodes. It enables expanded coverage and reliable connections to improve the overall performance of IoT ecosystems. Matter also supports bridging other existing technologies such as Zigbee, Bluetooth Mesh and Z-Wave.
Matter's core market is smart home devices, making them secure, reliable and interoperable with other IoT devices. This enables seamless and secure connectivity within an integrated IoT system, regardless of the manufacturer.
To support security, Matter uses the concept of Fabrics, a security domain that contains a collection of nodes. These nodes can be identified and communicate with each other in the context of this security domain.
IEC/ISO JTC1 SC41 The subcommittee is developing many IoT standards, including reference architectures, testing, functional blocks, interoperability and data formatting, with more ideas in the pipeline. A big difference between standards organizations, particularly those for rapidly evolving technologies like IoT, and consortium-based efforts is that the consortia develop products. It's the old theory-practice problem.