How to Implement Matter over Thread on nRF52840 DK for Smart Home Devices

Implementing Matter over Thread on an nRF52840 DK for Smart Home Device Communication

The Matter protocol is a unified and open-source connectivity standard designed to simplify the development of smart home devices. This tutorial will guide you through the implementation of Matter over Thread on an nRF52840 Development Kit (DK). By the end of this guide, you will have a working smart home device that communicates using Matter.

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of C/C++ programming
• Familiarity with embedded systems and development environments
• nRF52840 Development Kit
• Nordic SDK installed on your machine
• Toolchain for building applications (e.g., GCC, Segger Embedded Studio)
• J-Link debugger for programming the nRF52840

Parts/Tools

• nRF52840 Development Kit
• USB cable for power and programming
• Computer with Nordic SDK and necessary toolchain
• Thread network setup (e.g., OpenThread Border Router)

Steps

1. Set Up Your Development Environment
   1. Install the Nordic SDK by downloading it from the Nordic Semiconductor website.
   2. Install the necessary toolchain for building nRF52840 applications (e.g., GCC or Segger Embedded Studio).
   3. Set up OpenThread Border Router on a Raspberry Pi or a similar device to facilitate the Thread network.
2. Clone the Matter SDK Repository
   1. Open your terminal and clone the Matter repository using the following command:

   git clone https://github.com/project-chip/connectedhomeip.git

   2. Navigate to the cloned directory:

   cd connectedhomeip

3. Configure the Project for nRF52840
   1. Open the Matter configuration file located at connectedhomeip/examples/nrf52840/.
   2. Modify the platform.mk to include the necessary libraries for Thread and Matter:

   LIBS += -lchip -lopenthread

4. Build the Application
   1. In your terminal, navigate to the nRF52840 example directory:

   cd examples/nrf52840/

   2. Run the build command:

   make

5. Flash the Application to the nRF52840 DK
   1. Connect the nRF52840 DK to your computer using a USB cable.
   2. Use the following command to flash the built application:

   nrfjprog --program _build/nrf52840/Debug/your_application.hex --chiperase --reset

6. Join the Thread Network
   1. Ensure your OpenThread Border Router is up and running.
   2. Use the following command in the terminal to join the Thread network:

   ot-cli join your_network_name

7. Test the Matter Communication
   1. Use a Matter-compatible application on your phone or computer to discover and interact with your device.
   2. Verify that the device responds to commands as expected.

Troubleshooting

• Device Not Found: Ensure that the nRF52840 DK is correctly powered and connected to the Thread network.
• Build Errors: Check for missing dependencies in your configuration. Make sure that all required libraries are linked in your project.
• Thread Network Issues: Verify that the OpenThread Border Router is configured correctly and that your device is within range.
• Application Crashes: Use a debugger to step through the code and identify where the issue occurs.

Conclusion

By following this tutorial, you have successfully implemented Matter over Thread on an nRF52840 Development Kit. This setup allows for seamless communication between your smart home device and other Matter-compatible devices. With this foundational knowledge, you can expand your project further by adding more features and functionalities to your smart home ecosystem.