ZigBee Tutorial

Wireless Control That Simply Works

Abhiman Hande
Research Associate
University of Texas – Dallas

September 26, 2005

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 1
 Today’s Wireless Themes
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Ubiquitous communication with focus on

interoperability, plug-and-play, self-organizing
networks, and low power
• High quality AV streaming
• Bits/Hz/watt
• Positioning & Location

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 2
 The 802 Wireless Space
Wireless Control That Simply Works

WWAN IEEE 802.22

IEEE 802.20
WMAN
Range

WiMax
IEEE 802.16
WLAN WiFi
ZigBee 802.11
802.15.3
802.15.4 Bluetooth
WPAN 802.15.3a
802.15.1
802.15.3c

0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000

Data Rate (Mbps)
ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works
Slide 3
 802.15.4 Application Space
Wireless Control That Simply Works

Sensors & Controls:

Home Automation
Industrial Automation
 Remote Metering
Automotive Networks
Interactive Toys
Medical

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 4
 Sensor/Control Network
Requirements
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Large networks (large number of devices and large

coverage area) that can form autonomously and
that will operate very reliably for years without any
operator intervention
• Very long battery life (years off of a AA cell), very
low infrastructure cost (low device & setup costs)
and very low complexity and small size
• Device data rate and QoS needs are low
• Standardized protocols are necessary to allow
multiple vendors to interoperate
ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works
Slide 5
 ZigBee Alliance
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Needed an organization with a mission to define a

complete open global standard for reliable, cost-
effective, low-power, wirelessly networked products
addressing monitoring and control
• Alliance provides
• upper layer stack and application profiles
• compliance and certification testing
• branding
• Result is a set of recognizable, interoperable solutions
ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works
Slide 6
 ZigBee Standard Promoters
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Eight promoter companies

– Chipcon, Ember, Freescale, Honeywell, Mitsubishi,
Motorola, Philips and Samsung
• A rapidly growing list (now over 175) of industry
leaders from 29 countries spanning 6 continents
committed to providing ZigBee-compliant products
and solutions
– Companies include chip suppliers, wireless IP providers,
OEMs, test equipment manufacturers and end users

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 7
 The ZigBee Platform
Wireless Control That Simply Works

Public Application Profile

Certified
Product

ZigBee Stack

Compliant
IEEE 802.15.4 Platform

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 8
 The ZigBee Platform
Wireless Control That Simply Works

Private Application Profile

ZigBee Stack

Compliant
IEEE 802.15.4 Platform

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 9
 Basic Radio Characteristics
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBee technology relies

upon IEEE 802.15.4, which
has excellent performance
in low SNR environments

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 10
 Basic Network Characteristics
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• 65,536 network (client) nodes

• Optimized for timing-critical

applications and power management
– Time to Join Network: <30ms
– Sleeping to active: <15ms
– Channel access time: <15ms Network coordinator
Full Function node
Reduced Function node

• Full Mesh Networking Support Communications flow

Virtual links

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 11
 ZigBee Mesh Networking
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 12
 ZigBee Mesh Networking
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 13
 ZigBee Mesh Networking
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 14
 ZigBee Mesh Networking
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 15
 ZigBee Mesh Networking
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 16
 ZigBee Network Topologies
Wireless Control That Simply Works

Mesh

Star

PAN coordinator
Cluster Tree Full Function Device
Reduced Function Device

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 17
 ZigBee Device Types
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• ZigBee Coordinator (ZC)

– One and only one required for each ZB network.
– Initiates network formation.
– Acts as 802.15.4 2003 PAN coordinator (FFD).
– May act as router once network is formed.
• ZigBee Router (ZR)
– Optional network component.
– May associate with ZC or with previously associated ZR.
– Acts as 802.15.4 2003 coordinator (FFD).
– Participates in multihop routing of messages.
• ZigBee End Device (ZED)
– Optional network component.
– Shall not allow association.
– Shall not participate in routing.
ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works
Slide 18
 Network Structure
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 19
 Network Structure
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 20
 Network Structure
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 21
 Zigbee Protocol Stack
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• APL
• APS
• NWK
• MAC and PHY
– IEEE 802.15.4

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 22
 Application Layer
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Application Specific Code

• ZDO defines device function
• APS handles binding and discovery
• Initiates and responds to events
• Network layer security
• Functions that respond to messages from the
system (profiles)

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 23
 Wireless Control That Simply Works
Network Layer

• Dynamically reconfiguring, rearranging, and self-

healing beast
• Keeps track of nodes joining and leaving the
network
• A coordinator assigns an address to a joining node
• Frame routing and security functions for frames
implemented here

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 24
 Medium Access Control Layer
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Co-ordinates access to the shared radio link

• Schedules and routes data frames
• Uses CSMA-CA to schedule frame transmissions

802.15.4 Data Frame

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 25
 Wireless Control That Simply Works
Physical Layer

• Encodes/decodes bits during transmission/

reception
• Base-band modem and radio transceiver
• DSSS modulation technique with OQPSK used
• Chipping rate = 2 million chips/sec in the 2.4 GHz
frequency band

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 26
 Complete Zigbee Node
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 27
 ZigBee Channel Access Options
Wireless Control That Simply Works

Two channel access mechanisms:

• Non-beacon network
– A simple, traditional multiple access system used in simple
peer and near-peer networks
– Standard CSMA-CA communications
– Positive acknowledgement for successfully received packets

• Beacon-enabled network
– Superframe structure- network coordinator transmits beacons
at predetermined intervals
– Dedicated bandwidth and low latency
– Low power consumption mode for coordinator
ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works
Slide 28
 Other Benefits of Beacon Mode
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Beacon Mode
– A very powerful mechanism for controlling power
consumption in extended networks like cluster tree or
mesh
– Allows all clients in a local piece of the network the
ability to know when to communicate with each other
– PAN has a coordinator that manages the channel and
arranges the calls
– Significant value will be in system power consumption for
networks which are primarily battery powered

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 29
 ZigBee Applications
Wireless Control That Simply Works

security
HVAC TV
AMR VCR
lighting control DVD/CD
access control BUILDING CONSUMER remote
AUTOMATION ELECTRONICS

ZigBee mouse
patient
Wireless Control that keyboard
monitoring
fitness PERSONAL Simply Works PC & joystick
HEALTH CARE PERIPHERALS
monitoring

asset mgt security

process RESIDENTIAL/ HVAC
control LIGHT lighting control
environmental INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL
CONTROL CONTROL
access control
energy mgt lawn & garden irrigation

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 30
 ZigBee – Highly Reliable
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Mesh and tree networking protocol provides

redundant paths
• Automatic retries and acknowledgements
• Broadcast delivery scheme ensures reliable
broadcasts across the network
• Parents keep track of messages for sleeping
children
• High intrinsic interference tolerance
– Multiple channels
– Frequency agility
– Robust modulation
ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works
Slide 31
 ZigBee – Highly Secure
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Utilizes AES 128-bit encryption

• Concept of a “trust center”
• Link and network keys
• Authentication and encryption
• Security can be customized for the application
• Keys can be “hard-wired” into application

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 32
 Advantages of ZigBee over proprietary
solutions
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Product interoperability
• Vendor independence
• Increased product innovation as a result of industry
standardization
• A common platform is more cost effective than
creating a new proprietary solution from scratch
every time
• Companies can focus their energies on finding and
serving customers

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 33
 General Advantages of ZigBee
Wireless Control That Simply Works

• Reliable and self healing

• Supports large number of nodes
• Easy to deploy
• Very long battery life
• Secure
• Low cost
• Can be used globally

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 34
 More Information
Wireless Control That Simply Works

ZigBee Alliance Web Site

http://www.ZigBee.org

IEEE 802.15 Web Site

http://www.ieee802.org/15

ZigBeeTM Alliance | Wireless Control That Simply Works

Slide 35