INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

L2. ZIGBEE PROTOCOL - INTRODUCTORY

2019.12
INTRODUCTORY

• A set of communication protocols for low-data-rate short-range wireless networking,

• Refers to WLAN level,
• Developed by the ZigBee Alliance, formed in 2002,
• Operates 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.4 GHz frequency bands,
• Max.data rate - 250 K bps,
• Targeted for IoT applications with:
• low data rate,
• very low cost,
• and long battery life (operational for several years).
WLAN ALTERNATIVES TO ZIGBEE
ZIGBEE AND OTHER WLAN-S
ZigBee Compliant WLAN

Non-ZigBee (Custom) WLAN

DATA TRANSFER RATES

Notes:
-------
868MHz – EU,
915MHz – USA,
2.4GHz – worldwide.

915, 2,4GHz – industry,

science, medicine.
DEVICE TYPES & ROLES - 1

• Fill-function devices (FFDs) – can accept any network role,

• Reduced-function devices (RFDs).

• Device roles in IEEE 802.15.4:

• PAN coordinator –coordinator who is principal controller of Personal Area
Network,
• Coordinator – is capable of relaying messages,
• Device – device not acting as coordinator.
 NETWORK TOPOLOGIES - 1

1. One PAN Coordinator who:

• allocates addresses, to
each device,
• initiate, terminate, route
the messages,
• Select unique PAN
identifier for a network
for short-addressing. A star topology
• As many as necessary FFD
and RFD.
NETWORK TOPOLOGIES - 2

A mesh topology
NETWORK TOPOLOGIES - 3

A tree topology
CSMA-CA MECHANISM
(Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance)
• Device who wont to transmit (DWT):
• Performs (in desired channel) a clear channel assessment (CCA) – verifies
spectral energy or detect the type of occupying signal. If the channel is
not clear, the device backs off for a random period of time, then tries
again user-defined maximum number of retries,
• Otherway, the device starts transmitting its own signal.
BEACON-ENABLED & NON-BEACON
NETWORKING
• Methods of channel access:
• Contention-based - DWT use CSMA-CA mechanism,
• Contention-free - PAN coordinator dedicates a specific time slot (GTS) to a particular
device.
• So, this device will start transmitting during GTS without CSMA-CA.
• To do so, PAN coordinator synchronize devices in network using beacon messages.
• A coordinator has the option to transmit beacon signals to synchronize the devices attached
to it.

• Beacon-enabled PAN – higher data exchange rate, but higher energy consumption,
• Non-beacon PAN - lower energy consumption, but lower data exchange rate.
DATA TRANSFER METHODS IN ZIGBEE

• Types of data transfer:

a) Device -> Coordinator
b) Coordinator -> Device
c) Device <-> device

In peer-to-peer topology – (a),(b),(c),

In star topology – (a),(b).
‘DEVICE -> COORDINATOR’ DATA
TRANSFER
‘COORDINATOR -> DEVICE’ DATA
TRANSFER
DATA VERIFICATION

• Packet – a no.of bits transmitting together.

• To check & recover packet in error a 16-bit Frame Check
Redundancy is used.
NETWORK ADDRESSING
• Addressing in IEEE 802.15.4 protocol:
• 16-bit short addressing,
• 64-bit extended addressing.
• Is used in a single network or
• Is combined with unique PAN identifier in independent networks.
• ZigBee network layer adds 16-bit NWK address to IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.
• Each radio in a network has a single IEEE and a single NWK addresses.
• Up to 240 devices can be connected to the single radio. Each device is
distinguishably numbered from 1 to 240.
ASSOCIATION AND DISASSOCIATION

• Binding - the task of creating logical links between the

applications that are related.
• Ex: ZigBee device connected to a lamp is logically related to another
ZigBee device connected to the switch that controls the lamp.

• The info about is stored in a binding table.

• Bound devices - devices logically related in a binding table.
SELF-FORMING AND SELF-HEALING
CHARACTERISTICS
• In a mesh network, the first started FFD device can establish itself as
coordinator, and other devices then join the network by sending association
requests.
• ZigBee networks are self-forming - no additional supervision is required to
establish it.
• If one of the routers stops functioning (exhaustion of its battery) or if an
obstacle blocks the message route, the network can select an alternative
route. This is an example of the self-healing characteristic of ZigBee mesh
networking.
ZIGBEE IS AN AD HOC NETWORK

• some of the wireless nodes are willing to forward data for other
devices.
• The route to carry a message is selected dynamically based on
the network connectivity. If the network condition changes, the
routing in the network is changed.
 PHY PACKET STRUCTURE

• Devices communicates with data (DA) and commands (CO)

• DA & CO have a form of packets
 PACKET STRUCTURE - 1

• SHR – synchronization • MHR (MAC header) – addressing &

security
• PHR – frame length info
• MAC Payload - DA or CO {0..n}
• PHY Payload – DA or CO =>
• MFR – 16-bit Frame Check Sequence
 PACKET STRUCTURE - 2

• NHR – network header • AHR – APS header

• Auxiliary HDR – security mechanism & keys
• NWK – network-level
• APS payload – DA or CO
addressing & control =>
• MIC – message integrity code
MAC FRAME STRUCTURES
• Beacon frame - used by coordinator to transmit beacons
• Data frame
• Acknowledge frame – both used to transmit data
• MAC command frame – to transmit MAC commands
POSSIBLE STRUCTURE
 LIGHT CONTROL FUNCTION
• Serves to minimize
expenses.
• Includes:
• Lights
• Switches
• Presence sensors

• Usage of Binding
Tables
HVAC FUNCTION

• Used to manage heating, venting & air-

conditioning.
HOME SECURITY FUNCTION

• Serves to secure residential building.

• Includes:
• Motion detectors
• Glass-break sensors
• Security cameras

• Eventual issue – images transfer with acceptable quality.

IRRIGATION FUNCTION

• Serves to manage efficiently the water.

• It includes:
• Soil moisture sensors at different depth
• Rain sensor
METER-READING FUNCTION
• Serves to generate utility bills.
• Includes AMRs:
• Electricity
• Gas
• Water

• The leakages and equipment issues can be detected.

• Billing optimization.
USEFUL LITERATURE

1. Farahani S. ZigBee wireless Networks and Transceivers.- 2008, 339 p.

USEFUL LINKS

1. https://data-flair.training/blogs/iot-messaging-protocol/
SEE YOU LATER . . .
DEVICE TYPES & ROLES - 2

• Device roles in ZigBee:

• Coordinator <-> PAN coordinator,
• Router <-> Coordinator,
• End Device <-> Device.