STM32 MCU solution for Matter: the promise of seamless device interoperability in smart homes
Matter is an open-source, interoperability standard, which is maintained by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA).
Designed for smart homes and smart buildings, Matter ensures seamless interactions between connected devices across different IP technologies. End users no longer have to worry about device interoperability, as Matter ensures connected objects from multiple brands can work together seamlessly, while ensuring data privacy.
Matter is an application layer which addresses many applications in an open-source delivery and certification infrastructure, allowing wide adoption.
"Smart home devices should be secure, reliable, and seamless to use. And with Matter, they are."
The roles of connected devices in a Matter network
In smart homes, connected devices run based on Wi-Fi or Thread technologies, and each device has a specific role within the Matter network.
These devices support a connectivity technology within Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Thread as network communication protocol. Such devices also need to support Bluetooth® LE technology, to allow users to add a new device to their existing network, also called “commissioning”.
- End devices: connected objects serving a final application, such as lights or door locks.
- Router/Bridges: objects such as gateways route the data from an end device, transferring it from one protocol to another
(Wi-Fi to Thread for example). - Controllers: devices, such as smartphones or tablets, used to commission an end device into a Matter network.
Controllers support Bluetooth LE.
How to bridge Matter to no-Matter technologies?
STM32WB wireless MCU runs in Matter networks
- Multi-protocol capabilities: STM32WB can run Bluetooth LE and Thread in concurrent modes, which is necessary for device commissioning
- A large memory with 1 Mbyte of Flash and 256 Kbytes of RAM to support application layer and connectivity stacks
- Quad-SPI peripheral to extend the memory size externally with execution in place
- Over-The-Air firmware updates whatever the application and the connectivity stack
The STM32WB MCU comes with the NUCLEO-WB55RG and the discovery board STM32WB5MM-DK which brings a wide feature set, including sensors, external Flash, screen, touch sensors for applications running on Matter.
Several STM32 MCUs support Matter standard, and are suitable for different device types:
| Matter Device type | Connectivity | Wireless MCUs in standalone | Hosted architecture (MCU/MPU + radio companion) |
| Matter Gateway (Border router) | Thread RCP Ethernet / WiFi | - | RCP STM32H7 + STM32WB STM32MP1 + STM32WB |
| Matter over Thread End Device | Concurrent Dynamic Thread – Bluetooth LE | STM32WB* | NCP model STM32H7 + STM32WB STM32U5 + STM32WB STM32MP1 + STM32WB |
| Matter bridge to no-Matter technologies | Any** | - | NCP STM32H7 + STM32WB STM32MP1 + STM32WB STM32H7 + STM32WL STM32MP1 + STM32WL |
** data model bridging Matter to any other technology
The STM32WB is coming with various development boards like the Nucleo-WB55RG and the Discovery board STM32WB5MM-DK which exposes wide feature set, sensors, flash, screen, touch sensors to prototype rapidly many kinds of application that Matter targets.
Benefits
- The ST portfolio covers all Matter device types
- Low-power solutions for battery-operated devices
- Comprehensive ecosystem for rapid development
- Multiprotocol wireless support required for Matter
- Product quality assurance for longevity requirements
How to bridge smart home devices to a Matter network
Many IoT devices support Zigbee and will now also enable Matter. The supporting infrastructure requires a solution that can bridge the communication between Matter-based and Zigbee-based devices.
The bridge device usually integrates high-performance MCUs with Ethernet capability to link connectivity products.
The dual-core STM32H7 MCU offers the right features to address this role, as it can embed the Matter layer and translate it into the Zigbee protocol and vice versa.
STM32 Matter Bridge Proof of Concept
Matter software samples for STM32
ST provides example projects showing the usage of Matter with our STM32 MCUs for two use cases.
One demonstrates a Matter device over Thread and a gateway in RCP mode implemented on our STM32WB series of 2.4GHz wireless microcontrollers, while the other showcases how to create a Matter to non-Matter technology bridge based on our STM32H7 high performance series.
These projects are just a preview of our upcoming official offer planned for Q3 2023, which will be fully integrated in the market proven STM32Cube ecosystem. Stay tuned for more!
Recommended resources
STM32WB and Matter: the IoT dream team
STM32WB with Matter getting started: topology border router and end device lighting demo
CES 2023: STM32WB Matter Solution demo
On-demand webinar: Introduction to Matter
Convenient and seamless smart home connectivity with Matter and STM32
- How certification works and why it is essential for greater security, efficiency and reliability
- When, why, and how to use Matter and which types of end devices can be built with Matter connectivity
- Understanding the advantages and drawbacks of the Matter protocol, network topologies and connected devices
- Creating Matter end devices running on the Thread low-power mesh networking standard and bridging non-Matter devices
- Short demo of a Matter smart home network based the ST comprehensive STM32WB ecosystem