Texas Instruments platform overview
Contents
Texas Instruments platform overview#
The TI platform is a Matter platform based on the Texas Instruments Incorporated SimpleLink SDK.
The following diagram is a simplified representation of a Matter application which built on the TI Platform.
Texas Instruments SimpleLink SDK#
The SimpleLink™ CC13xx and CC26xx Software Development Kit (SDK) delivers components that enable engineers to develop applications on the Texas Instruments SimpleLink CC13xx and CC26xx family of wireless microcontrollers (MCUs). This software toolkit provides a cohesive and consistent software experience for all SimpleLink CC13xx and CC26xx wireless MCU users by packaging essential software components, such as a Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) protocol stack supporting Bluetooth 5.2, Bluetooth Mesh, Thread 1.1.1 networking stack based on OpenThread, Zigbee 3.0 compliant protocol suite, RF-Proprietary examples, TI’s 15.4 Stack as well as the TI-RTOS kernel and TI Drivers in one easy-to-use software package along with example applications and documentation. In addition, the Dynamic Multi-Protocol Manager (DMM) software component enables multiprotocol development on a single SimpleLink wireless MCU through time-division multiplexing.
The SimpleLink MCU portfolio offers a single development environment that delivers flexible hardware, software, and tool options for customers developing wired and wireless applications. With 100 percent code reuse across host MCUs, Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth Low Energy, Sub-1GHz devices and more, choose the MCU or connectivity standard that fits your design. A one-time investment with the SimpleLink software development kit allows you to reuse often, opening the door to create unlimited applications. For more information, visit www.ti.com/simplelink.
BLE and Thread stacks#
In the TI example applications the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol is used to provision the Thread protocol to enable Matter communication. Then Thread is used for IP communication with other Matter devices.
The TI applications leverage the Bluetooth Low Energy stack on the CC13X2 and CC26X2 families. This BLE software is distributed in binary form within the TI SimpleLink SDK. The BLE stack leverages code that is present in the device ROM for certain common BLE operations.
These applications leverage the OpenThread stack available within the Matter repository for Thread communication. Platform support source is built from the SimpleLink SDK.
These connection protocols can be run concurrently by using the Texas Instruments Dynamic Multi-protocol Manager.
LwIP stack#
The Lightweight IP stack interfaces with the OpenThread stack to offer standard IP connectivity protocols that OpenThread does not natively support. This offers a standard socket based interface to the Matter platform.
MbedTLS#
The MbedTLS library is used by OpenThread and Matter for a wide variety of protocols. This ranges from basic AES and SHA to cryptographic protocols like ECDSA and ECDH.
The MbedTLS library is hardware accelerated using the TI SimpleLink SDK drivers.
This is achieved through the usage of _ALT defines in the MbedTLS
configuration file.
Matter integration#
Matter interacts with LwIP, OpenThread, and the TI BLE stack to achieve the protocol and application functionality. A BLE profile is registered with the TI-BLE stack to enable provisioning and configuration. Once the device is provisioned Matter will configure the OpenThread interface to connect to an existing Thread network or to start its own network. From there the Matter IP messages are sent to the LwIP stack to be routed to the OpenThread stack for transmission.
Overall, applications generally only need to interface with the Cluster Library from Matter. The transport of messages and configuration of the device is all handled by the platform implementation files.
Matter example applications#
Sample Matter applications are provided for the TI platform. These can be used as reference for your own application.
Build system#
The TI platform uses GN to generate ninja build scripts. Build files have already been written to build and link the TI specific code within the SimpleLink SDK.
TI Support#
For technical support, please consider creating a post on TI’s E2E forum. Additionally, we welcome any feedback.