OpenThread released by Nest is an open-source implementation of Thread®. Nest has released OpenThread to make the networking technology used in Nest products more broadly available to developers, in order to accelerate the development of products for the connected home.
With a narrow platform abstraction layer and a small memory footprint, OpenThread is highly portable. It supports both system-on-chip (SoC) and network co-processor (NCP) designs.
Thread® is an IPv6-based networking protocol designed for low-power Internet of Things devices in an IEEE 802.15.4-2006 wireless mesh network, commonly called a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN). Thread is independent of other 802.15.4 mesh networking protocols, such a ZigBee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth LE.
wpantund is a user-space network interface driver/daemon that provides a native IPv6 network interface to an NCP. It’s purpose is to better support Thread connectivity on Unix-like operating systems. It uses Spinel to communicate with an NCP.
Spinel is a general management protocol for enabling a host device to communicate with and manage an NCP. Initially designed to support Thread-based NCPs, Spinel has been designed with a layered approach that allows it to be easily adapted to other network technologies in the future.
