Connectivity

Technologies
 IEEE definition of WPAN

Wireless personal area networks (WPANs) are used to convey

information over short distances among a private, intimate group
of participant devices.

Unlike a wireless local area network (WLAN), a connection made

through a WPAN involves little or no infrastructure or direct
connectivity to the world outside the link. This allows small,
power-efficient, inexpensive solutions to be implemented for a
wide range of devices.
Bluetooth Technology
 What is Bluetooth?

• “Bluetooth wireless technology is an open specification

for a low-cost, low-power, short-range radio technology
for ad-hoc wireless communication of voice and data
anywhere in the world.”

A recent module

One of the first modules (Ericsson)

 Overview of Bluetooth History
• What is Bluetooth?
– Bluetooth is a short-range wireless communications
technology.

• When does it appear?

– 1994 – Ericsson study on a wireless technology to link mobile
phones & accessories.
– 5 companies joined to form the Bluetooth Special Interest
Group (SIG) in 1998.
– First specification released in July 1999.
 Timeline
• 1994 : Ericsson study complete / vision

• 1995 : Engineering work begins

• 1997 : Intel agrees to collaborate

• 1998 : Bluetooth SIG formed: Ericsson, Intel, IBM, Nokia & Toshiba

• 1999 : Bluetooth Specification 1.0ASIG promoter group expanded: 3Com,

Lucent, Microsoft & Motorola

• 2000 : Bluetooth Specification 1.0B, 2000+ adopters

• 2001 : First retail products released, Specification 1.1

• 2003 : Bluetooth Specification 1.2

• 2005 : Bluetooth Specification 2.0 (?)

 Bluetooth Goals & Vision
• Originally conceived as a cable replacement
technology
• Short-Range Wireless Solutions
• Open Specification
• Voice and Data Capability
• Worldwide Usability
• Other usage models began to develop:
– Personal Area Network (PAN)
– Ad-hoc networks
– Data/voice access points
– Wireless telematics
 Bluetooth ≈ IEEE 802.15.1

A widely used WPAN technology is known as Bluetooth (version

1.2 - version 4.0)

The IEEE 802.15.1 standard specifies the architecture and

operation of Bluetooth devices, but only as far as physical layer
and medium access control (MAC) layer operation is concerned
(the core system architecture).

Higher protocol layers and applications defined in usage profiles

are standardised by the Bluetooth SIG.
 Piconets
Bluetooth enabled
Up to 8 devices
electronic devices connect
in one piconet (1
and communicate
master and 7
wirelessly through short-
slave devices).
range, ad hoc networks
Max range 10 m.
known as piconets.

ad hoc => no base station

Piconets are established dynamically and

automatically as Bluetooth enabled
devices enter and leave radio proximity.
Ultimate Headset
Cordless Computer
 Technical features
Spread Spectrum (Frequency Hopping)
Connection Type
& Time Division Duplex (1600 hops/sec)
2.4 GHz ISM Open Band (79 MHz of
Spectrum
spectrum = 79 channels)
Modulation Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying
Transmission Power 1 mw – 100 mw
Data Rate 1 Mbps
Range 30 ft
Supported Stations 8 devices
Data Security –Authentication Key 128 bit key
Data Security –Encryption Key 8-128 bits (configurable)
Module size 9 x 9 mm
 Time-Division Duplex Scheme
• Channel is divided into consecutive slots (each 625 s)
• One packet can be transmitted per slot
• Subsequent slots are alternatively used for transmitting and receiving
– Strict alternation of slots between the master and
the slaves
– Master can send packets to a slave only in EVEN
slots
– Slave can send packets to the master only in the
ODD slots
 Classification
• Classification of devices on the basis of Power dissipated &
corresponding maximum Range.

POWER RANGE

CLASS I 20 dBm 100 m

CLASS II 0-4 dBm 10 m
CLASS III 0 dBm 1m
 Typical Bluetooth Scenario
• Bluetooth will support wireless point-to-point and point-to-
multipoint (broadcast) between devices in a piconet.
• Point to Point Link
– Master - slave relationship
– Bluetooth devices can function as masters or slaves
• Piconet m s

– It is the network formed by a Master and one or more slaves

(max 7)
– Each piconet is defined by a different hopping channel to which
users synchronize to
m
– Each piconet has max capacity (1 Mbps)

s s s
 Bluetooth Protocol Stack

28 January, 2020 13
 Bluetooth Protocol Stack
• TCS(Telephony Control Protocol specification): provides telephony
services.
• SDP(Service Discovery Protocol):discover that what services other
Bluetooth devices support.
• RFCOMM: provides as RS 232 link Serial interface.
• L2CAP:(logical link control & adaption) it multiplex the data from
higher layers & converts the different packet sizes.
• Link Manager: It handles the communication between a separate
host & bluetooth module.
• Baseband: it controls the physical link via the radio ,assembling
packet & controlling frequency hoping
• RADIO: It modulates & demodulates data for transmission on air.
 Middleware Protocol Group
•Additional transport protocols to
allow existing and new applications to
operate over Bluetooth. Applications
•Packet based telephony control IP
SDP
RFCOMM
signaling protocol also present.

•Also includes Service Discovery Data

Protocol.
L2CAP
Audio
Link Manager
Middleware Protocol Group Baseband
RF
 Middleware Protocol Group (contd.)

• Service Discovery Protocol (SDP)

– Means for applications to discover device info, services
and its characteristics.
• TCP/IP
– Network Protocols for packet data communication,
routing.
• RFCOMM
– Cable replacement protocol, emulation of serial ports
over wireless network
 Link Manager Protocol
• The Link Manager carries out link setup,
authentication & link configuration.
• Channel Control
– All the work related to the channel control is
managed by the master
• The master uses polling process for this
– The master is the first device which starts the
connection
• This roles can change (master-slave role switch)
 L2CAP
• Service provided to the higher layer:
– L2CAP provides connection-oriented and connectionless data
services to upper layer protocols

– Protocol multiplexing and de-multiplexing capabilities

– Segmentation & reassembly of large packets
– L2CAP permits higher level protocols and applications to
transmit and receive L2CAP data packets up to 64 kilobytes in
length.
IEEE 802.15.4
 Features of IEEE 802.15.4

✓ Well‐known standard for low data‐rate WPAN.

✓ Developed for low‐data‐rate monitoring and control

applications and extended‐life low‐power‐consumption
uses.

✓ This standard uses only the first two layers (PHY, MAC) plus
the logical link control (LLC) and service specific
convergence sub‐layer (SSCS) additions to communicate
with all upper layers

✓ Operates in the ISM band.

Source: L.Fenzel, “What’s The Difference Between IEEE 802.15.4 And ZigBee Wireless?”, Electronic Design (Online), Mar. 2013
✓ Uses direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS)
modulation.

✓ Highly tolerant of noise and interference and

offers link reliability improvement mechanisms.

✓ Low‐speed versions use Binary Phase Shift Keying

(BPSK).

✓ High data‐rate versions use offset‐quadrature

phase‐shift keying (O‐QPSK).

✓ Uses carrier sense multiple access with collision

avoidance (CSMA‐CA) for channel access.

✓ Multiplexing allows multiple users or nodes

interference‐free access to the same channel at
different times.
✓ Power consumption is minimized due to infrequently
occurring very short packet transmissions with low duty
cycle (<1%).

✓ The minimum power level defined is –3 dBm or 0.5

mW.

✓ Transmission, for most cases, is Line of Sight (LOS).

✓ Standard transmission range varies between 10m to
75m.

✓ Best case transmission range achieved outdoors can

be upto 1000m.
✓ Networking topologies defined are ‐‐ Star, and Mesh.
IEEE 802.15.4 Variants

A/B
• Base version
C
• For China
D
• For Japan
E
• Industrial applications
F
• Active RFID uses
G
• Smart utility networks (Smart Grids)
 IEEE 802.15.4 Types

PAN
coordinator
Networks
FFD Router
Non‐Beacon
Enabled 802.15.4 Device

Beacon
Enabled RFD Device

(a) (b)
• Full Function Device (FFD)
• Can talk to all types of devices
• Supports full protocol

• Reduced Function Device (RFD)

• Can only talk to an FFD
• Lower power consumption
• Minimal CPU/RAM required
IEEE 802.15.4 Frames

Beacon

MAC

Frames
Command

Acknowledgement

Data
 Beacon Enabled Networks
• Periodic transmission of beacon messages
• Data‐frames sent via Slotted CSMA/CA with a super
frame structure managed by PAN coordinator
• Beacons used for synchronization & association of
other nodes with the coordinator
• Scope of operation spans the whole network.
 Non-Beacon Enabled Networks
• Data‐frames sent via un‐slotted CSMA/CA (Contention
Based)
• Beacons used only for link layer discovery
• Requires both source and destination IDs.
• As 802.15.4 is primarily, a mesh protocol, all protocol
addressing must adhere to mesh configurations
• De‐centralized communication amongst nodes
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.
Source: L.Fenzel, “What’s The Difference Between IEEE 802.15.4 And ZigBee Wireless?”, Electronic Design (Online), Mar. 2013
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.
Source: L.Fenzel, “What’s The Difference Between IEEE 802.15.4 And ZigBee Wireless?”, Electronic Design (Online), Mar. 2013
 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.
Source: L.Fenzel, “What’s The Difference Between IEEE 802.15.4 And ZigBee Wireless?”, Electronic Design (Online), Mar. 2013
 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.
Sources:
• "Wireless Sensor Networks Research Group". Sensor-networks.org. 2010-04-15.
• "Wireless Sensor Networks Research Group". Sensor-networks.org. 2009-02-05.
 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.
Sources:

• "Wireless Sensor Networks Research Group". Sensor-networks.org. 2010-04-15.

• "Wireless Sensor Networks Research Group". Sensor-networks.org. 2009-02-05.
 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.
Source: “Zigbee”, Wikipedia (Online)
 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
Source: L.Fenzel, “What’s The Difference Between IEEE 802.15.4 And ZigBee Wireless?”, Electronic Design (Online), Mar. 2013
Thank You