1. |
A New Wireless Networking Protocol
for the Internet of Things (IoT)
Ankith Bale

2. |
What is Thread?
Built on Thread Video

3. BUILT FOR IoT
Securely and reliably connect
products in homes and buildings
BUILT-IN SECURITY
Provides security at the
network layer
LOW ENERGY FOOTPRINT
Based on the power-efficient
IEEE 802.15.4 MAC/PHY
OPEN IPv6 BASED PROTOCOL
Provides device-to-device and device-to-
cloud connections
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
Extends the internet into
low power end devices
MARKET READY
Broad selection of silicon, stacks and components
available globally
What is Thread?
Thread is a low power, secure and future-proof mesh networking technology for IoT products.

4. | What is Thread?
A low power, secure and Internet-based mesh networking
technology for IoT products.
• Built on proven, widely available and supported technologies
• Uses IPv6 (6LoWPAN)
• Runs on existing 802.15.4 silicon from multiple providers
• Legacy-free design with updated architecture
• Designed with a new security architecture to make it simple and
secure to add and remove products
• Supports 250+ products per network
• Designed for very low power operation
6LoWPAN
IEEE 802.15.4 MAC
Applications
UDP
IP Routing
Security/Commissioning
IEEE 802.15.4 PHY

5. | What is Thread?
✔ No single point of failure
✔ Self-healing
✔ Interference robustness
✔ Self-extending
✔ Reliable enough for critical
infrastructure
✔ Low power
✔ Resilient (mesh)
✔ IP-based
✔ Open protocol
✔ Secure and user friendly
✔ Fast time to market
✔ Existing radio silicon
Thread Is

6. |
Securely and scalably connecting an ecosystem of low power
products to each other, to cloud services, and to consumers via their
mobile devices supporting applications
• Appliances
• Access control
• Climate control
• Energy management
• Lighting
• Safety
• Security
Thread in Homes

7. | Thread in Commercial

8. |
Who Is Thread?

9. |
The Thread Group is:
A technology alliance, not just another standards defining organization (SDO)
A nonprofit market education group promoting Thread’s use in connected products
Ensuring a great user experience through rigorous, meaningful product certification
Structured as a Delaware 501 (c) (6) Non-Profit Corporation for the mutual benefit of its members
Independent, vendor-neutral and open to all — any entity can join
Organizational membership only — one membership, one vote
Who Is Thread?

10. | Members

11. | Liaisons and Partnerships
Organization Liaison Type
CABA Marketing
EEBus App Layer
Fairhair Alliance Standards
KNX App Layer
Linaro Marketing
OCF App Layer
Zigbee Alliance App Layer

12. |
End Device
Thread Leader
Thread Router
Border Router
Thread Link
Network Topology Roles

13. |
Border Router
Forwards data to and from
cloud/other networks
Provides optional Wi-Fi
connectivity
Ethernet
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Thread
Thread Router
Routes traffic among devices
Form the mesh topology
Eligible to become the Leader
End Device
Designed for low power operation
May be powered or sleepy
May be router-eligible if powered
Many One Up to 32 Up to 64 per Router+ + +
Hundreds of Devices per Network
=
Thread Leader
Manages network parameters
Coordinates commissioners
Makes network decisions
Network Topology Roles

14. |
W
i-Fi
System Messaging Model
Thread
Home Area Network
Device-to-device communication
within Thread network
Border router forwards data to
Wi-Fi / Ethernet / Cloud
Wi-Fi connectivity to mobile
devices when at homeCloud connectivity to mobile devices
when not at home

15. | Key Features Overview
•IP-based
• Simple bridging to other IP networks
•Flexible Network
• Not tied to specific device types
•Robust
• No single point of failure
•Secure
• Robust security, simple commissioning
•Low Power devices
• Support for battery powered devices
Physical Radio (PHY)
IEEE 802.15.4 MAC
(including MAC security)
IPv6
Distance Vector Routing
UDP + DTLS
Application Layer
IEEE 802.15.4 (2006)
RFC 4944,
RFC 6282, RFC 6775
RFC 1058, RFC 2080
RFC 768, RFC 6347, RFC
4279, RFC 4492, RFC 3315,
RFC 5007
Thread Standard
6LowPAN
RFC 4862

16. |
• All devices have IPv6 address plus short
address on HAN
• Devices for Unique Local Address (ULA)
locally or Global Unicast Address (GUA) if
IPv6 prefix available
• Home Network can directly address devices
through Border Routers
• Cloud Services can address devices from the
Internet
• Devices use IP to address any connected node
— HAN, LAN, or WAN
IP-based: Direct Addressability
End Device
Thread Leader
Thread Router
Border Router
Thread Link

17. |
• Devices join as Router Eligible or End
Device
• Router Eligible: Can become Routers if
needed
• First router on network becomes Leader
• Leader: Makes decisions within network
• End Devices: Route through parent
• Can be “sleepy” to reduce power consumption
Flexible: Simplified Device Types
End Device
Thread Leader
Thread Router
Border Router
Thread Link

18. |
• Dynamic Leaders
• If Leader fails, another Router will become
Leader
• Router Promotion
• Leader can promote Router Eligible devices to
Routers to improve connectivity if required
Robust: No Single Point of Failure
End Device
Thread Leader
Thread Router
Border Router
Thread Link
New Leader
Promoted
to Router

19. |
• Simple Commissioning
• User authorizes devices onto the network using smart
phone or web
• Can be done on network if there is a device with a
graphical interface (GUI)
• DTLS Security session established between new
device and commissioning device to authenticate
and provide credentials
• Once commissioning session is done — device
attaches to network
• MAC security used for all messages
• Application level security is based on end-device
Secure: Security and Commissioning
End Device
Thread Leader
Thread Router
Border Router
Thread Link

20. |
• Sleeping devices poll parents for messages
(or remote device if application
configured)
• Sleeping devices not required to check
which allows lower power operation
• Parents hold messages for sleeping
devices
• Sleeping device automatically switches
parent connection is lost
Low Power Operation: Sleepy Devices
End Device
Thread Leader
Thread Router
Border Router
Thread Link

21. |
• Commercial products must be certified in order to receive the Thread logo
• Validation of device behavior
• Commissioning
• Network functionality and interoperability
• Device operation in network
• The certification program addresses components and end products
• Sponsor and Contributor Members have access to a standard test harness
and sample commissioning app
• Certification uses a 3rd party test lab
Thread Certification

22. |
• Enables users to effortlessly add devices
on the Thread Network and manage
settings
• Designed as a reference app with source
code for all Sponsor and Contributor level
members
• Communication via Thread Group’s
MeshCoP Protocol and CoAP
• Communication library written in C and
C++, leveraging code that is extendable
across iOS and Android
Thread Commissioning Application

23. |
Benefits of Thread

24. | The Value of Thread
MARKET READY
Broad selection of silicon
Four certified stacks
Publicly available specification
Active certification program
Fast-ramp tools accelerating
time to market
Global Solution
SEAMLESSLY
INTEGRATED
Seamlessly and securely works
with users’ existing networks
Extends the internet into low
power end devices without
translators
Easily extends to personal
devices
IP-BASED
Convergence layer across all
networks
Ease of Development
Application layer choices
Multiple Ecosystems
Flexibility to add or change app
layers, ecosystems
Device-to-device and device-to-
cloud communication
BUILT FOR IoT
Low energy footprint
Secure and reliable
connectivity
No single point of failure
Interoperability
Scalability
Based on proven standards
Thread is a low power, secure and future-proof mesh networking technology for IoT products.

25. |
•What is the environment?
• Home, Commercial, Professional, Personal?
• Number of devices to support?
•Is it standalone or part of an ecosystem?
• A proprietary ecosystem?
• Established industry ecosystem or ecosystems?
• Is it a single product or a system?
•What is this product connecting to?
Defining the IoT Product

26. |
Getting Started Now

27. |

28. |
•Thread White Papers
•Thread Spec
•Thread Videos
•Thread FAQs
Thread Resources

29. Thank You