wilamowski-b-m-irwin-j-d-industrial-communication-systems-2011

50
ZigBee
Stefan Mahlknecht
Vienna University
of Technology
Tuan Dang
EDF Research and
Development
Milos Manic
University of Idaho
Idaho Falls
Sajjad Ahmad
Madani
COMSATS Institute of
Information Technology
50.1 Introduction.....................................................................................50-1
50.2 ZigBee and Mesh Networks...........................................................50-1
50.3 ZigBee in the Context of Other Wireless Networks..................50-2
50.4 ZigBee Stack.....................................................................................50-2
50.5 IEEE 802.15.4...................................................................................50-3
Physical Layer. •. MAC Layer. •. Network Layer. •. Application Layer
50.6 Development and Industrial Applications..................................50-8
ZigBee Development Platforms. •. Industrial Applications
50.7 Conclusion......................................................................................50-10
References..................................................................................................50-10
50.1 Introduction
ZigBee is a suite of very low-cost and low-power, low data rate, and short-range digital radios based on the
IEEE 802.15.4-2006 standard for low-rate wireless personal area networks (LR-WPANs). The ZigBee technology
was initially aimed at radio-frequency (RF) applications, with the idea of producing protocol that is
simpler and more cost-effective than those of comparative WPANs such as ubiquitous 802.15.1 (Bluetooth).
ZigBee suite of protocols is regulated by the ZigBee Alliance, an association of companies (list available
on ZigBee Alliance site) working together on globalization of an open ZigBee standard [ZigBee
Alliance]. The standard emerged as response to a growing demand for self-organizing ad hoc digital
radio networks. The name “ZigBee” is derived from the erratic zig-zag patterns that bees would typically
make between flowers while collecting pollen and sharing critical information among its fellow hive
members. The name was never confirmed in scientific studies but was very evocative of the invisible
webs of connections existing in a fully wireless environment.
50.2 ZigBee and Mesh Networks
ZigBee has a wide application scope and may be used in building automation such as access control,
smoke detection, HVAC, and lighting. Other applications include industrial monitoring, automatic
meter reading, medical sensing, and environmental data collection. Security is an important issue in
these control and data acquisition applications. Electrical appliances using ZigBee technology can be
linked together into a ZigBee network of virtually unlimited distance.
ZigBee is built on top of the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol stack as shown in Figure 50.1. 802.15.4 defines the
medium access control and physical layers while the higher layers are defined by the ZigBee specification.
The ZigBee specification from the ZigBee alliance is not openly available. ZigBee supports multiple
50-1
© 2011 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC