ZigBee Protocol

ZigBee is the name of a specification for a suite of high level communication

protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2006
standard for wireless personal area networks (WPANs), such as wireless
headphones connecting with cell phones via short-range radio.

ZigBee is targeted at radio-frequency (RF) applications that require a low data rate,
long battery life, and secure networking.

The term “ZigBee” originates from the silent, but powerful method of
communication used by honeybees to report information about food sources. This
communication system is known as the “ZigBee Principle".

The ZigBee Alliance is a group of companies which maintain and publish the
Zigbee standard.

The technology defined by the ZigBee specification is intended to be simpler and

less expensive than other WPANs, such as Bluetooth.

What is ZigBee ???

ZigBee is a low-cost, low-power, wireless mesh networking standard. First, the low cost
allows the technology to be widely deployed in wireless control and monitoring
applications. Second, the low power-usage allows longer life with smaller batteries.
Third, the mesh networking provides high reliability and more extensive range.

Why choose Zigbee?

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

Small Real time EXAMPLES :

wireless light switches with lamps, electrical meters with in-home-

displays, consumer electronics equipment via short-range radio
needing low rates of data transfer.
The 802 Wireless Space

ZigBee Specification :

ZigBee builds upon the physical layer and medium access control defined in IEEE
standard 802.15.4 (2003 version) for low-rate WPAN's. The specification goes on to
complete the standard by adding four main components: network layer, application
layer, ZigBee device objects (ZDO's) and manufacturer-defined application objects
which allow for customization and favor total integration.

Besides adding two high-level network layers to the underlying structure, the most
significant improvement is the introduction of ZDO's. These are responsible for a
number of tasks, which include keeping of device roles, management of requests to
join a network, device discovery and security.

At its core, ZigBee is a mesh network architecture. Its network layer natively
supports three types of topologies: both star and tree typical networks and generic
mesh networks. Every network must have one coordinator device, tasked with its
creation, the control of its parameters and basic maintenance. Within star
networks, the coordinator must be the central node. Both trees and meshes allow
the use of ZigBee routers to extend communication at the network level (they are
not ZigBee coordinators, but may act as 802.15.4 coordinators within their personal
operating space), but they differ in a few important details: communication within
trees is hierarchical and optionally utilizes frame beacons, whereas meshes allow
generic communication structures but no router beaconing.