Connectivity Technologies
Zigbee
Features of ZigBee
Most widely deployed enhancement of IEEE
802.15.4.
The ZigBee protocol is defined by layer 3 and
above. It works with the 802.15.4 layers 1
and 2.
The standard uses layers 3 and 4 to
define additional communication
enhancements.
These enhancements include authentication
with valid nodes, encryption for security, and a
data routing and forwarding capability that
enables mesh networking.
The most popular use of ZigBee is wireless
sensor networks using the mesh topology.
Zigbee protocol features include:
• Support for multiple network topologies such
as point-to-point,point-to-multipoint and mesh
networks
• Low duty cycle – provides long battery life
• Low latency
• Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS)Up to
65,000 nodes per network
• 128-bit AES encryption for secure data
connections
• Collision avoidance, retries and
acknowledgements
Important Components
ZDO • ZigBee Device Object
(Device management, Security, Policies)
APS • Application Support Sub‐layer
(Interfacing and control services, bridge
between network and other layers)
ZigBee Topologies
ZigBee Mesh
In a mesh, any node can
communicate with any other
node within its range.
If nodes are not in range,
messages are relayed through
intermediate nodes.
This allows the network
deployment over large areas.
ZigBee Mesh (Contd.)
Meshes have increased network
reliability.
For example, if nodes C and F
are down, the message packets
from A can still be relayed to G
via B and E.
ZigBee mesh networks are self‐
configuring and self‐healing.
ZigBee Types
ZigBee Coordinator (ZC):
The Coordinator forms the root of the ZigBee network tree and might act as a
bridge between networks.
There is a single ZigBee Coordinator in each network, which originally initiates
the network.
It stores information about the network under it and outside it.
It acts as a Trust Center & repository for security keys.
ZigBee Types
ZigBee Router (ZR):
Capable of running applications, as well as relaying information between
nodes connected to it.
ZigBee End Device (ZED):
It contains just enough functionality to talk to the parent node, and it cannot relay
data from other devices.
This allows the node to be asleep a significant amount of the time thereby enhancing
battery life.
Memory requirements and cost of ZEDs are quite low, as compared to ZR or ZC.
ZigBee Network Layer
The network layer uses Ad Hoc On‐Demand Distance Vector (AODV)
routing.
To find the final destination, the AODV broadcasts a route request to all
its immediate neighbors.
The neighbors relay the same information to their neighbors,
eventually spreading the request throughout the network.
Upon discovery of the destination, a low‐cost path is calculated and
informed to the requesting device via unicast messaging.
Applications
Building automation
Remote control (RF4CE or RF for consumer electronics)
Smart energy for home energy monitoring
Health care for medical and fitness monitoring
Home automation for control of smart homes
Light Link for control of LED lighting
Telecom services
RFID
The RYRR10S antenna module is a 13.56-MHz RFID and Near Field Communication
(NFC) system. Built-in programming options make the device suitable for a wide range
of applications for proximity and vicinity identification systems.
For RFID modules: [Link]
Introduction
RFID is an acronym for “radio‐frequency identification”
Data digitally encoded in RFID tags, which can be read by a
reader.
Somewhat similar to barcodes.
Data read from tags are stored in a database by the reader.
As compared to traditional barcodes and QR codes, RFID tag
data can be read outside the line‐of‐sight.
RFID Features
RFID tag consists of an integrated circuit and an antenna.
The tag is covered by a protective material which also acts as a
shield against various environmental effects.
Tags may be passive or active.
Passive RFID tags are the most widely used.
Passive tags have to be powered by a reader inductively
before they can transmit information, whereas active tags
have their own power supply.
Working Principle
Derived from Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)
technology.
AIDC performs object identification, object data collection and mapping
of the collected data to computer systems with little or no human
intervention.
AIDC uses wired communication
RFID uses radio waves to perform AIDC functions.
The main components of an RFID system include an RFID tag or
smart label, an RFID reader, and an antenna.
Applic ations
Inventory management
Asset tracking
Personnel tracking
Controlling access to restricted areas
ID badging
Supply chain management
Counterfeit prevention (e.g. in the pharmaceutical industry)
6LoWPAN
Introduction
Low‐power Wireless Personal Area Networks over IPv6.
Allows for the smallest devices with limited processing ability to
transmit information wirelessly using an Internet protocol.
Allows low‐power devices to connect to the Internet.
Created by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) ‐ RFC 5933
and RFC 4919.
Features of 6LoWPANs
Allows IEEE 802.15.4 radios to carry 128‐bit addresses of
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).
Header compression and address translation techniques allow the
IEEE 802.15.4 radios to access the Internet.
IPv6 packets compressed and reformatted to fit the IEEE
802.15.4 packet format.
Uses include IoT, Smart grid, and M2M applications.
Addressing in 6LoWPAN
• 64‐bit addresses: globally
Addressing
unique
• 16 bit addresses: PAN specific;
64‐bit assigned by PAN coordinator
Extended • IPv6 multicast not supported by
802.15.4
16‐bit • IPv6 packets carried as link
Short layer broadcast frames
6LowPAN Packet Format
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Length Flags DSN
PAN ID
IEEE 802.15.4
Destination (64 bit)
Source (64 bit)
Ver Traffic Class Flow Label
Payload Length Next Header Hop Limit
IPv6
Source Address (128 bit)
Destination Length (128 bit)
Header Type: Dispatch Header
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0 1 Dispatch Type Specific Header
• Dispatch: Initiates communication
• 0,1: Identifier for Dispatch Type
• Dispatch:
• 6 bits
• Identifies the next header type
• Type Specific Header:
• Determined by Dispatch header
Header Type: Mesh Addressing Header
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 0 V F Hops Left Originator Address Final Address
• 1,0: ID for Mesh Addressing Header
• V: ‘0’ if originator is 64‐bit extended address, ‘1’ if 16‐bit
address
• F: ‘0’ if destination is 64‐bit addr., ‘1’ if 16‐bit addr.
• Hops Left: decremented by each node before sending to next
hop
Header Type: Fragmentation Header
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 1 0 0 Datagram Size Datagram Tag
(a) First Fragment
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 1 0 0 Datagram Size Datagram Tag
Datagram Offset
(b) Subsequent Fragment
6LoWPAN Routing Considerations
Mesh routing within the
PAN space.
Routing between IPv6 and
the PAN domain
Routing protocols in use:
LOADng
RPL
LOADng Routing
Derived from AODV and extended for use in IoT.
Basic operations of LOADng include:
Generation of Route Requests (RREQs) by a LOADng Router
(originator) for discovering a route to a destination,
Forwarding of such RREQs until they reach the destination LOADng
Router,
Generation of Route Replies (RREPs) upon receipt of an RREQ by the
indicated destination, and unicast hop‐by‐hop forwarding of these RREPs
towards the originator.
If a route is detected to be broken, a Route Error (RERR) message is returned to
the originator of that data packet to inform the originator about the route
breakage.
Optimized flooding is supported, reducing the overhead incurred by RREQ
generation and flooding.
Only the destination is permitted to respond to an RREQ.
Intermediate LOADng Routers are explicitly prohibited from responding to
RREQs, even if they may have active routes to the sought destination.
RREQ/RREP messages generated by a given LOADng Router share a single
unique, monotonically increasing sequence number.
RPL Routing
Distance Vector IPv6 routing protocol for lossy and low power
networks.
Maintains routing topology using low rate beaconing.
Beaconing rate increases on detecting inconsistencies (e.g.
node/link in a route is down).
Routing information included in the datagram itself.
Proactive: Maintaining routing topology.
Reactive: Resolving routing inconsistencies.
RPL separates packet processing and forwarding from the routing
optimization objective, which helps in Low power Lossy Networks
(LLN).
RPL supports message confidentiality and integrity.
Supports Data‐Path Validation and Loop Detection
Routing optimization objectives include
minimizing energy
minimizing latency
satisfying constraints (w.r.t node power, bandwidth, etc.)
RPL operations require bidirectional links.
In some LLN scenarios, those links may exhibit asymmetric
properties.
It is required that the reachability of a router be verified
before the router can be used as a parent.