Internet of Everything

What’s driving the Internet of Everything?

The Internet of Everything is based on the idea that everyday objects can be readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable, and controllable via the Internet. Although the market defines the Internet of Everything in terms of connected everyday objects, the nature of the connection remains to be determined.

A number of market trends are driving the need for the Internet of Everything:

  • Increasing energy costs, the green movement and energy independence are driving governments’ strategic investments in smart grid and support for future consumption, such as for electric vehicles and public charging stations.
  • Increasing health care costs and aging populations are driving the need for remote/connected health care and fitness services.
  • Internet Protocol (IP) based technologies and services have become more mature, driving down the cost and increasing availability of IP.
  • A revolution in the home is driving the need for new services, including consolidation by service providers marketing ‘N’ play (data, voice, video, security, energy management, etc.) and expanding home networks.
  • Buildings are getting smarter and more convenient as a means to reduce operational costs for enterprise facilities.

Key Applications for the Internet of Everything

  • Smart grid and energy management: utility companies can optimize delivery of energy to homes and businesses while customers can better manage energy usage.
  • Home and building automation: Smart homes and buildings have centralized control over virtually any device or system in a home or office, from appliances to PEV’s security systems.
  • Asset tracking: Enterprises, hospitals, factories and other large organizations can accurately track the locations of high-value equipment, patients, vehicles, and so on.
  • Health and wellness: Doctors can remotely monitor patients’ health while people can track the progress of fitness routines.

Qualcomm Atheros’ Solutions Focus

With a broad portfolio of industry-leading wired and wireless technologies and a massive installed base of interoperable products, Qualcomm Atheros is uniquely positioned to address the Internet of Everything. Qualcomm Atheros can provide vast expertise in developing system-level IP solutions rather than a collection of point products. Qualcomm Atheros is accustomed to providing simple, easy-to-use solutions in complex multi-LAN architectures and low-cost, low-power silicon design for economies of scale.

Solutions for the Internet of Everything must meet a specific set of requirements:

  • Support an IP-based infrastructure and leverage IP and standards-based connectivity technologies as a base for broad interoperability
  • Meet diverse application requirements, seamlessly converging on the network
  • Support scalable Mbps connectivity, enabling future growth
  • Require low resources from the system while being energy efficient

Priorities for Tomorrow’s Home Network

Enabling the Internet of Everything in home environments effectively is a priority for Qualcomm Atheros. For broad consumer adoption, tomorrow’s home network must have full home coverage, simplicity (no new wires), energy efficiency, scalability, interoperability and security. With that said, a single technology will not do. Tomorrow’s home network will include both wired and wireless technology to enable scalable infrastructures and bandwidth.

Convergence of networks is critical, and IP will emerge as the ideal technology for connecting islands of incompatible systems. IP is the only backbone with the scalability, interoperability and security to provide seamless connectivity for multiple applications, including communications and entertainment networks, automation security and wellness, and energy management. In fact, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has mandated native IPv6 support for smart grid devices.

Initial Technologies

Seamless connectivity for the Internet of Everything requires wired and wireless technologies. Qualcomm Atheros is initially focused on two technologies:

  • Low-energy, low-resource Wi-Fi based on the popular IEEE 802.11n standard is optimized to reduce power, design complexity and reliance on system resources.
  • HomePlug Green PHY, which is an extension of the IEEE 1901 powerline standard, is fully interoperable with HomePlug AV/1901 products and delivers low-power, cost-effective connectivity over existing electrical circuitry.