Essentials of Zigbee

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Test Your Knowledge

Wireless Protocol 6

Complete our Essentials: Wireless Protocol 6 course, take the quiz, and leave your feedback...

Are you ready to demonstrate your Zigbee knowledge? Then take this 10-question quiz. To earn the Wireless Protocol VI Badge, read through the module, attain 100% in the quiz, and leave us some feedback in the comments section.

For more wireless protocol modules click on the next button.

Tags: iiot, mqtt, python, home automation, smart devices, low power, industrial automation, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 20:48:51 GMT

Revision 18 posted to Documents by pchan on 7/27/2023 8:48:51 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard developed to enable low latency, low-power, secure, wireless IoT data networks.

Wireless Protocol Series - Part 6 - Essentials of Zigbee

For more information on Zigbee, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Test Your Knowledge

Wireless Protocol 6

Complete our Essentials: Wireless Protocol 6 course, take the quiz, and leave your feedback...

For more wireless protocol modules click on the next button.

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Fri, 26 May 2023 19:14:04 GMT

Revision 17 posted to Documents by pchan on 5/26/2023 7:14:04 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard developed to enable low latency, low-power, secure, wireless IoT data networks.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

For more information on Zigbee, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 21:40:02 GMT

Revision 16 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/9/2022 9:40:02 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard developed to enable low latency, low-power, secure, wireless IoT data networks.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

For more information on Zigbee, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:04:25 GMT

Revision 15 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/9/2022 8:04:25 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard developed to enable low latency, low-power, secure, wireless IoT data networks.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

For more information on Zigbee, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:02:33 GMT

Revision 14 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/9/2022 8:02:33 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard developed to enable low latency, low-power, secure, wireless IoT data networks.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

srutledge — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:09:14 GMT

Revision 13 posted to Documents by srutledge on 11/8/2022 5:09:14 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, and support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

Zigbee is a popular communication protocol used in many modern sensor and control networks, including home and industrial automation. Zigbee was developed as an open connectivity standard for wireless IoT networks. Its growing popularity stems from a variety of useful features, including low latency, support for multiple network topologies, and low power consumption; some devices can have battery life lasting several years. Wireless devices that use Zigbee operate in unlicensed radio bands, including 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. This learning module is an introduction to the Zigbee protocol, spanning the technology, architecture, applications, and development tools.

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 16:54:01 GMT

Revision 12 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/8/2022 4:54:01 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

Zigbee is a popular communication protocol used in many modern sensor and control networks, including home and industrial automation. Zigbee was developed as an open connectivity standard for wireless IoT networks. Its growing popularity stems from a variety of useful features, including low latency, support for multiple network topologies, and low power consumption; some devices can have battery life lasting several years. Wireless devices that use Zigbee operate in unlicensed radio bands, including 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. This learning module is an introduction to the Zigbee protocol, spanning the technology, architecture, applications, and development tools.

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of Zigbee

pchan — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 16:51:25 GMT

Revision 11 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/8/2022 4:51:25 PM

Zigbee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of Zigbee

1. Introduction

Zigbee is a popular communication protocol used in many modern sensor and control networks, including home and industrial automation. Zigbee was developed as an open connectivity standard for wireless IoT networks. Its growing popularity stems from a variety of useful features, including low latency, support for multiple network topologies, and low power consumption; some devices can have battery life lasting several years. Wireless devices that use Zigbee operate in unlicensed radio bands, including 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. This learning module is an introduction to the Zigbee protocol, spanning the technology, architecture, applications, and development tools.

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe Zigbee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of Zigbee
Discuss Zigbee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: Zigbee Topology

- Analysis

The Zigbee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the Zigbee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different Zigbee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for Zigbee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the Zigbee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and Zigbee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- Zigbee Networking

- Zigbee Security

- Zigbee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of Zigbee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
Zigbee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
Zigbee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via Zigbee.

- The Zigbee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled Zigbee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: Zigbee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: Zigbee USB Adapter

A Zigbee adapter is the interface that enables Zigbee on the computer (or server). Several types of Zigbee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the Zigbee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the Zigbee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. Zigbee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Zigbee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST Zigbee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more Zigbee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

dychen — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 20:18:54 GMT

Revision 10 posted to Documents by dychen on 11/5/2022 8:18:54 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

ZigBee is a popular communication protocol used in many modern sensor and control networks, including home and industrial automation. ZigBee was developed as an open connectivity standard for wireless IoT networks. Its growing popularity stems from a variety of useful features, including low latency, support for multiple network topologies, and low power consumption; some devices can have battery life lasting several years. Wireless devices that use ZigBee operate in unlicensed radio bands, including 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. This learning module is an introduction to the ZigBee protocol, spanning the technology, architecture, applications, and development tools.

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

The ZigBee network layer supports star, tree, and mesh topologies. In mesh and tree topologies, the ZigBee coordinator forms the personal area network (PAN) and chooses specific key network parameters, such as assigning addresses. Mesh networks allow full peer-to-peer communication.

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

The ZigBee networking layer manages the formation of the network, which can be one of two networking topologies: star and peer-to-peer. In the star topology, every device in the network communicates only with the PAN coordinator. ZigBee uses the Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol. ZigBee also supports the tree topology. A ZigBee coordinator (PAN coordinator) establishes the initial network, and ZigBee routers form the branches and relay the messages to devices.

- ZigBee Security

The ZigBee network uses a 128-bit (16 Bytes) AES network key to encrypt all data transmission. Every node must obtain the network key in order to join the network. The network key is regenerated and distributed through the network at different intervals. ZigBee also implements link keys between devices. Link keys are unique keys shared by a pair of nodes, used to encrypt the data transmitted between the two devices. Link keys are generated by the trust center, the device assigned the responsibility of authenticating new nodes and distributing the network key.

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Home Automation
A home automation network typically does not need high data rates; the standard data rate in home automation is only 10 kbps, well within the ZigBee specification. Home automation applications include security, light control, meter reading, irrigation, and multi-zone HVAC systems.

Industrial Automation
ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

A ZigBee Certified Platform (ZCP) is a platform certified by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance), and comprises a radio, ZigBee stack, and a microcontroller. Tools are available on PC for building and compiling applications, which are then transferred into target boards for debugging, generally through USB or Ethernet (wireless download is enabled in some platforms).

All vendors of ZigBee radios offer development kits, complete with two or more development boards, a USB, serial or Ethernet connection to the boards, and a debug connection (BDM or JTAG) to download new binary images into the boards and to debug applications. Development kits include all the necessary hardware and software to develop ZigBee, as well as sample applications.

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Application Development
This developer tutorial demonstrates basic application development, using the Raspberry Pi to control ZigBee communication. Special thanks go to Dr. Derek Schuurman, Computer Science Professor at Calvin University, who created pi-home, a home automation project that includes the control of lights, as well as the logging of temperature, humidity, pressure, and water leak sensors. This tutorial will go over pi-lights, a smaller version of pi-home, which focuses on the control of lights.

Light control using Raspberry Pi and ZigBee
Pi-lights enables the automation of lighting in the home, automatically turning on lights at dusk, and turning them off at a preset time. The project also includes the ability to control smart outlets. Configuration and manual operation can be performed via web browser.

The project was written in Python 3, and uses the ZigBee2MQTT library to control ZigBee devices using MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport), a lightweight messaging protocol popular in IoT systems. ZigBee2MQTT works with a variety of ZigBee USB adapters and devices. Although the code was developed for a Raspberry Pi with a ZigBee USB adapter, it can be run on other POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) compliant systems.

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

A computer or server executes the code. Most Raspberry-Pi models are able to support ZigBee. With the proper hardware and software, many other platforms also support ZigBee networks, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

Wireless connectivity via ZigBee is growing in popularity, especially for industrial and home automation applications. There are a variety of hardware components and software now available to help with Zigbee development.

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

dychen — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 20:14:12 GMT

Revision 9 posted to Documents by dychen on 11/5/2022 8:14:12 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

In this code, BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, and MQTT_KEEPALIVE are connection settings imported from pi-lights.conf. BULBS, OUTLETS, and BRIGHTNESS are also imported from pi-lights.conf, where the different bulbs, outlets, and the brightness range of the bulbs are specified.

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: iiot, mqtt, low power, iot, wireless, connectivity, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

dychen — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 19:52:42 GMT

Revision 8 posted to Documents by dychen on 11/5/2022 7:52:42 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 22:09:36 GMT

Revision 7 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/4/2022 10:09:36 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Are you ready to demonstrate your motor control knowledge? Then take this 10-question quiz. To earn the Wireless Protocol VI Badge, read through the module, attain 100% in the quiz, and leave us some feedback in the comments section.

Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 22:01:24 GMT

Revision 6 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/4/2022 10:01:24 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Industrial Automation
ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics
ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare
In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 20:54:39 GMT

Revision 5 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/4/2022 8:54:39 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Home automation

A home automation network typically does not need high data rates; the standard data rate in home automation is only 10 kbps, well within the ZigBee specification. Home automation applications include security, light control, meter reading, irrigation, and multi-zone HVAC systems.

Industrial Automation

ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics

ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare

In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Application Development

This developer tutorial demonstrates basic application development, using the Raspberry Pi to control ZigBee communication. Special thanks go to Dr. Derek Schuurman, Computer Science Professor at Calvin University, who created pi-home, a home automation project that includes the control of lights, as well as the logging of temperature, humidity, pressure, and water leak sensors. This tutorial will go over pi-lights, a smaller version of pi-home, which focuses on the control of lights.

Light control using Raspberry Pi and ZigBee

Pi-lights enables the automation of lighting in the home, automatically turning on lights at dusk, and turning them off at a preset time. The project also includes the ability to control smart outlets. Configuration and manual operation can be performed via web browser.

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

Software

The source code for the project can be downloaded at the pi-lights GitHub. Included in the package are installation instructions, as well as templates for the web interface. The two files containing source code are pi-lights.conf and pi-lights.py.

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 20:49:13 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/4/2022 8:49:13 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Home automation

Industrial Automation

ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics

ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare

In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Application Development

Light control using Raspberry Pi and ZigBee

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

Software

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 20:47:49 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/4/2022 8:47:49 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Home automation

Industrial Automation

ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics

ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare

In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Application Development

Light control using Raspberry Pi and ZigBee

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

Software

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Related ComponentsBack to Top

ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit

For more ZigBee products Shop Now

Take the QuizBack to Top

Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 21:48:11 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/2/2022 9:48:11 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

- Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

- ZigBee Networking

- ZigBee Security

- ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Home automation

Industrial Automation

ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics

ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare

In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

- The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Application Development

Light control using Raspberry Pi and ZigBee

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

Software

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Tags: low power, network topologies, zigbee, wireless protocol, ess_module

Essentials of ZigBee

pchan — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 21:41:27 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Documents by pchan on 11/2/2022 9:41:27 PM

ZigBee is an open communication standard for wireless IoT devices that features low latencies, low power consumption, as well as support for multiple network topologies.

Wireless Protocol VI: Essentials of ZigBee

1. Introduction

For more information on Home Automation, take a look at our eBook: Home Automation with the Raspberry Pi.

2. Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

Describe ZigBee technology and communication protocols
Understand the concepts underlying the technology
Discuss various applications of ZigBee
Discuss ZigBee development, including hardware and software

3. Basic Concepts

Figure 1: ZigBee Topology

Analysis

The ZigBee architecture is a protocol stack with five layers.

Application Layer
Security Layer
Network Layer
Medium Access Control (MAC) Layer
Physical (PHY) Layer

Physical (PHY) layer: The PHY layer is the lowest layer and closest to the hardware. This layer directly controls and communicates with the ZigBee radio. The physical layer translates the data packets in over-the-air bits for transmission and vice-versa during reception.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: The MAC layer works as an interface between the network and physical layer, controlling access and resolving conflict between competing nodes. The MAC layer provides PAN ID and also network discovery via beacon requests.
Network Layer: The Network Layer is responsible for routing and establishing the different ZigBee topologies. The network layer acts as an interface between the MAC and application layers.
Security Layer: The Security Layer handles encryption; with security enabled, data for ZigBee devices is encrypted with a 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) network key.
Application Layer: The Application Layer (or Application Framework) is the highest protocol layer in the ZigBee stack. It comprises the Application Support (APS) sub-layer and ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). The Application Layer contains manufacturer-defined applications, and is responsible for the discovery and binding of services.

ZigBee Networking

ZigBee Security

ZigBee Applications

A wide variety of industries and applications can take advantage of ZigBee wireless networking; these include home automation, industrial applications, health care, and inventory tracking.

Home automation

Industrial Automation

ZigBee mesh networking can support the data transfer required for energy management, livestock tracking, light control, process control, and asset management.

Consumer Electronics

ZigBee finds use in game controllers, wireless remote controls, wireless peripherals for personal computers, and many other applications.

Healthcare

In a system for remote patient monitoring, data from wearables and other sensors connected to patients can be collected wirelessly. Data is encrypted and securely transferred via ZigBee.

The ZigBee Development Environment

Digi XBee 3 ZigBee Mesh Kit

ONsemi Strata enabled ZigBee Green Power Kit

Digi Xbee 2.4GHz

OM15080-K32W USB Dongle

Figure 2: ZigBee Modules

Application Development

Light control using Raspberry Pi and ZigBee

Hardware

Figure 3: ZigBee USB Adapter

A ZigBee adapter is the interface that enables ZigBee on the computer (or server). Several types of ZigBee adapters are available, include USB, GPIO or remote via WIFI or Ethernet.

Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Server

Figure 5: IKEA Light bulb. Image source: IKEA

Finally, choose the ZigBee devices that the system will control, such as the IKEA LED2035G10.

Software

pi-lights.py is the main source code written in Python 3. This file contains the functions performing all of the operations in the application.

The following is an analysis of some of the code in pi-lights.py.

def turn_on_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

self.light_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned on')

def turn_off_bulbs(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.light_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Lights turned off')

Using a for loop, the function sends a command to each bulb via zigbee2mqtt. In the turn_on_bulbs method, that command is:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/state', 'ON')

rc is the return code; this is logged if there is an error.

self.light_state is a variable that is set to remember if the lights are on or off.

Similarly, there are methods to turn smart outlets on and off (lines 79 and 91).

def turn_on_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'ON')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = True

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned on')

def turn_off_outlets(self):

self.lock.acquire()

for outlet in self.outlets:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{outlet}/set/state', 'OFF')

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return code: {rc}')

self.outlet_state = False

self.lock.release()

logging.debug('Outlets turned off')

set_brightness (line 103) sets the brightness of the bulbs.

def set_brightness(self, value):

self.brightness = value

for bulb in self.bulbs:

(rc, msg_id) = self.client.publish(f'zigbee2mqtt/{bulb}/set/brightness', self.brightness)

if rc != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT publish return codes: {rc}')

logging.info(f'Brightness set to: {self.brightness}')

client = mqtt.Client()
ret = client.connect(BROKER_IP, BROKER_PORT, MQTT_KEEPALIVE)
if ret != 0:

logging.error(f'MQTT connect return code: {ret}')

state = State(BULBS, OUTLETS, BRIGHTNESS, client)

The Flask framework is used to enable the web interface. Flask is configured in the FlaskThread class (line 223).

4. Glossary

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): a specification for the encryption of data. AES was established by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 2001.
Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the ZigBee Alliance): a group of companies that maintains and publishes the ZigBee standard. The group contains over 500 members.
IEEE 802.15.4: a standard that defines the specifications for low data rate wireless personal area networks. ZigBee is an enhancement to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): a network of connected electronic devices, where devices can communicate with each other and the cloud.
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer: the layer that works as an interface between the network and the physical layer. The MAC layer controls access, performs error correction, and resolves conflicts between competing nodes. The MAC layer also performs activities such as framing and addressing.
Mesh Topology: a network topology where all computers and network devices are interconnected and communicate directly with one another.
MQTT (Messaging Queue Telemetry Transport): a lightweight and efficient messaging transport protocol with small code footprint and minimal network bandwidth requirements.
Physical (PHY) layer: the layer that is lowest and closest to the hardware, interacting with the hardware to perform basic network functionality, such as transmitting and receiving.
Star Topology: a network topology where every computer or network device is connected directly to a central device, such as a hub or router.
Tree Topology: a network topology where multiple networks of star topology are connected via busses, similar to the branches on a tree.

*Trademark. element14 is a trademark of Premier Farnell. Other logos, product and/or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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ZigBee Module

MGM12P32F1024GE-V4
Buy Now
MGM12P22F1024GA-V4
Buy Now

PTM535BZ Transmitter Module

XB3-24Z8ST ZigBee Module

SLWSTK6102A Wireless Starter Kit

1323XNSK-BDM Dev Board

EM34X-VRDK Dev Kit