ZigBee protocol stack

bertronicom · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:17 am

I'm trying to implement a Zigbee network.

I need to implement ZigBee protocol stack in PIC18.

Microchip offer this source code, but I don't be sure If it's compatible with CCS.

Any suggestion will be gratefully apreciated.

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

Better look closely at the code. It is pretty basic and doesn't really give you everything that is Zigbee. Maybe in the future though.

Darren Rook · Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 287 Location: Milwaukee, WI

libor · Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Hungary

Sorry, might be a little bit off-topic here:
I would not want to read thru and misinterpret all the legal stuff, so I would appreciate someone clarify for me:
- ZigBee.org would charge a fee to become their member, only these members can access the protocol documentation
- we can get the (partial) protocol stack free from Microchip, hopefully we get the full version later

My questions are:
- Is it legal to use this Zigbee protocol in my own commercial products not being a member of Zigbee?
- Can I reverse engineer the Zigbee protocol stack written by Microchip to write my own (enhanced) protocol that is compatible with or based upon Zigbee?
- Can I make a product compatible with Zigbee, and advertise it as 'Zigbee ready' without being a member of Zigbee?

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

If you are going to make and advertise a Zigbee product, it is going to have to be certified. That is where joining the alliance comes in. You are supposed to be able to have it certified without joining but the cost is pretty high. I haven't found anyone to really give straight answers yet! I went to the Freescale ECS this past year and took several seminars on Zigbee and no one could give me a straight answer. Atmel came in to propose their "solution" to a Zigbee product but still left things very uncertain. I scheduled a followup meeting with them on Feb 9. Maybe I'll be able to give you more details then.

libor · Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Hungary

Thank you, Mark
for kindly reassuring me that it is not me so dumb not seeing the legal issues clearly.
If I get it right, the main ZigBee participant companies too have not yet decided what licencing policy they will follow to promote this standard.
In the meantime I am going to learn the technical, programing aspects of this or a similar ad-hoc sensor network anyway, so I hope these legal things will clear up by the time I would use it in a real device sold to my customers.
Anyway I am going to test my own protocol candidates also for a self-healing ad-hoc mesh RF network. (however one can be never sure what patents are breached unintentionaly) ...I have already made some encouraging tests using a discreet event simulator program running on a PC, though I would like to go to be at least partially compatible with Zigbee if it will not cost me a lot of (annoying) licence or membership fee.
Thanks.

valemike · Guest

I too was at the Freescale seminar a few months ago.

i understand that you do not have to be a member to design Zigbee products. You simply buy Freescale's or Microchip's (Chipcon's) chips.

They really couldn't give a straight answer, like Mark said, on licensing and certification. I heard from someone that since the transceivers can potentially operate through several channels, that there will be a more exhaustive process of FCC certification.

As far as licensing, i don't think you have to license each unit, since such fees are inherent in you merely buying the chips. Not sure though.

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

bertronicom · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:42 am

I'm learning a lot about state of the art in zigbee.
I would like to ask 2 questions,

1) Zigbee stack source code from Microchip is supported by CCS ?

2) Can I download this code from Microchip for free? (Without buying PICDEM Z development kit)

Best regards

libor · Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Hungary

1. as far as know: no, not yet. If not by CCS itself, some of us developers will certainly convert it to CCS C, i think it will be available soon.
2. yes, you can download it free from Microchip's site, there is an application note AN965 and also a .zip file (MpZBeeV1.0.0.zip) containing the source code

Guest · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:47 am

Reading some of the info at chipcon.com I noticed the price of a Zigbee dev. kit is $5000.00
I can’t find any company ready to ship modules, or anyone that has a working stack for the PC. !
And from the Microchip web site it sounds like the stack is not ready yet… !

Zigbee sounds fine, but I think it's being setup to exclude the little guy, at lest in the beginning, just like the SD card crap.

At least Bluetooth is somewhat more accessible, and the little guy (hobbyist) can get started for a few $$.

I predict Zigbee for $75 (1-25) a module by 2006/7

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

Its too new. Give it time.

valemike · Guest

Guest · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:27 pm

valemike · Guest

Has anyone ordered and gotten their hands yet on a PICDEM Z? The availability date seems to be creeping, first into mid-January, then February, now March. I ordered it the same week it was first advertised last month, and still unsure when i'll get it.

-Mike