Shortening Wi-Fi product design cycles with integrated filtering

One of the most fundamental changes of recent history is that the internet has become nearly ubiquitous. Initially connecting computers, it now connects homes and buildings. And with the advent of wireless technology (Wi-Fi, LTE), access to the internet changed from a technology into a commodity – and, for some people, a number one ranking on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Today, any given Wi-Fi network is likely providing simultaneous wireless internet access for multiple laptops, smartphones, tablets and electronic gaming consoles, not to mention the ever-growing installations of smart home or smart business IoT applications.

So, it’s no wonder that interference and coexistence are still the main pain points, more specifically in the area of 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. The sheer volume of surrounding signals from other wireless products such as Bluetooth speakers, security cameras, smart home devices, remote controls and microwaves is a challenge. The only way to address this interference is by using RF filter technologies.

The companies that make these Wi-Fi-based products depend on quality of service (ie performing well, with few interference issues) to sell their solutions. Products with a high quality of service generate the largest revenue, by reducing the costs of service calls, truck rolls and additional hardware/software solutions needed to solve user experience concerns. Take, for example, a company that manufactures and sells indoor/outdoor wireless speakers. It’s imperative to have a high quality of service to transmit at long range and without interruption. Other adjacent signals like Bluetooth or cellular bands must be attenuated to mitigate interference.