North Carolina-based chip company Qorvo has introduced a smart home communications controller to deliver simultaneous support for multiple low-power wireless protocols.

The QPG6100 controller for IoT end devices uses the company’s Concurrent Connect technology. This enables faster communications, increases home network capacity and scalability, and allows manufacturers to future-proof connected devices such as lighting and smart home sensors.

The technology enables simultaneous operation of multiple smart devices, regardless of which major wireless standard they use.

IDC forecasts continued adoption of home automation devices and services, projecting global sales of smart home devices to reach 1.4 billion units in 2024, a five-year compound annual growth rate of 14%.

As the IoT expands and more consumers adopt smart home technology, systems engineers and IoT device manufacturers face the challenge of ensuring their sensors can communicate quickly and perform effectively, even as new devices are added. Beyond the familiar wifi, additional low-power, low-data-rate wireless standards – including Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread and Zigbee – are used in smart lighting, thermostats, security sensors and appliances.

With Concurrent Connect technology, smart home devices all communicate over the home network, even if the sensor uses a different standard or language.

The device incorporates simultaneous multi-standard support through Concurrent Connect into a single-radio system-on-chip (SoC). It supports all home network protocols, allowing devices to receive communications continuously without interruption during the listening phase.

As an example, Qorvo’s patented approach allows a consumer to dim a light bulb quickly via a smartphone without delay.

When combined with Qorvo’s software development kit, the QPG6100 allows manufacturers to create IoT devices that manage data traffic from multiple standards or protocols at the same time and without latency.

The QPG6100 and Qorvo’s QPG7015M IoT transceiver, released last year for wireless routers and gateways, offer Concurrent Connect support. Both SoCs eliminate a manufacturer’s need to choose in advance which technology – Zigbee, Thread or Bluetooth LE – to incorporate into their devices. They also reduce part count, which can lower cost, simplify development and support, and enable smaller, more appealing form factors for consumers.

“Concurrent Connect technology represents a major step beyond dynamic multi-protocol support,” said Cees Links, general manager of Qorvo Wireless Connectivity. “A gateway or hub and multiple IoT devices with Concurrent Connect support create a simplified smart home, with no missed signals. By simultaneously supporting all major wireless protocols, designers and homeowners are assured seamless connectivity as they add new devices. The increased flexibility will inspire more innovative applications in the smart home.”