ZigBee-Very Low-Power Wireless Communication Technology
Hui Tian · ZTE communications · 2006
ZigBee, an important technology supporting wireless sensor networks, has drawn broad attention. A complete ZigBee's protocol suite consists of high-layer application specifications, the application convergence layer, the network layer, the data link layer, and the physical layer. ZigBee Alliance focuses on defining the protocols above the network layer. The Physical (PHY) layer and the Media Access Control (MAC) layer are defined by the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The IEEE 802.15.4 physical layer adopts technologies of mapping from bit to symbol, conversion from symbol to chip sequence and Offset Quadrature Phase-shift Keying (OQPSK) modulation, avoiding such complex algorithms as channel coding. The IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer adopts Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA-CA) technology and supports the sleeping mode. ZigBee enables low data rates, low power consumption and cost-effectiveness, and is more applicable to industrial monitoring system, sensor networks, home monitoring system and security system.