With its ease of use, security features, and modular software, this reference design provides a valuable starting point for engineers looking to create reliable, secure, and scalable IoT solutions.
In today’s fast-paced digital world, the development of secure and scalable IoT (Internet of Things) solutions is paramount. For design engineers, creating a cloud-connected IoT gateway that ensures seamless connectivity and secure data transmission between various wireless nodes is a significant challenge. This reference design TIDM-TM4C129XGATEWAY from Texas Instruments (TI) provides a comprehensive example of how to build a secure IoT gateway that connects multiple wireless devices, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Sub-1GHz nodes, to the cloud. It leverages TI’s robust hardware and software ecosystem to allow engineers to develop a secure, scalable, and cost-effective solution quickly.
The core of this reference design is the TM4C129, a high-performance microcontroller (MCU) that serves as the IoT gateway. This MCU provides the necessary computational power to manage multiple wireless protocols and ensures seamless connectivity to the cloud. The design demonstrates how the TM4C129 can connect various wireless nodes—including a Wi-Fi-based stepper motor control system, BLE sensor tags, and Sub-1GHz nodes—allowing these devices to communicate securely and efficiently with cloud platforms. In this demonstration, the gateway is connected to Exosite’s cloud platform, which provides a dashboard GUI for monitoring and controlling all connected nodes. By integrating these nodes, the design creates a cohesive system where remote control and monitoring of devices are possible from any internet-enabled location.
The reference design also includes several TI wireless MCUs, such as the SimpleLink™ CC3100 (Wi-Fi), CC2650 (BLE), and CC1310 (Sub-1GHz), along with the TRF7970A NFC (Near Field Communication) transceiver and the RF430CL330H sensor. These components allow for secure out-of-band pairing using NFC, ensuring the integrity of communication between the IoT gateway and its nodes. Secure data transmission is further enhanced through the use of hardware crypto blocks within the MCU, and secure cloud connections are supported by the TI-RTOS network development kit (NDK) and the wolfSSL stack. This combination of hardware and software ensures that the system is secure and resilient against cyber threats.
It has modular software, which is compatible with various development platforms, such as the EKTM4C129EXL LaunchPad, the EK-TM4C123GXL Tiva LaunchPad, and the SimpleLink connectivity devices. This modularity makes it easy for design engineers to prototype and iterate quickly, reducing time to market for new IoT products. This design is instrumental in industrial applications, including automation, smart grid solutions, motion control, and building management systems.
The design is supported by a comprehensive set of documentation, including a bill of materials (BOM), schematics, PCB layout, and more, allowing engineers to seamlessly implement the solution in their own projects.For more information, click here.
