Radio interference challenges in a multiprotocol compact RF hardware platform for home and building automation applications

Summary In the field of smart home and smart building, there is a wide range of products using various proprietary and open standards for their interconnection. However, the coexistence of those standards imposes serious constraints because of the inherent nature of the radio frequency propagation. A way to investigate this issue is to study the interferences in a compact hardware platform/box in which several radio transceivers work side by side, potentially causing interference and radio link degradation due to antennas coupling. To achieve this analysis and predict the radio issues, a simulation tool was developed, and several experimental tests were conducted indoors and outdoors to validate the simulation model. The compact platform investigated consists of multiprofile KNX‐RF modules for home automation and smart grid control, and a radio alarm module for security needs. Simulations were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink, which are based on a calculation of bit error rate according to the signal to noise ratio in order to deduce the radio coverage range in different interference scenarios. The simulation tool developed was optimized to match the behavior of a specific transceiver commonly used for KNX‐RF devices. Yet the tool can be adapted to simulate other kinds of transceivers. Furthermore, the methodology applied to evaluate the cross‐technology interference can be extended to other technologies like Wi‐Fi, ZigBee, and EnOcean. In the field of home and building automation, there is a wide range of wireless products using various standards for their interconnection. However, their coexistence can impose serious constraints. This paper investigates cross‐technology interference challenges of developing a compact gateway composed of radio modules placed side by side to enable multiprotocoling. To this end, a simulation tool was developed, and indoor/outdoor experimental tests were conducted. Simulation and experimental results showed good convergence. Besides, some suggestions of enhancement were proposed.