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Z-Stack PRO ZED compatibility with Z-Stack 2006

Kurt Schmidt
Genius 11165 points

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: CC2531, Z-STACK, CC2531EMK

A large volume customer has a deployed product that uses the TI ZigBee 2006 Z-Stack. They are updating a USB dongle that is used by technicians to interface to the mesh network. They would like to use the CC2531 on the new version of this dongle. However, as we understand it, the Z-Stack version that supports this chip is an implementation of the ZigBee PRO stack. They have three questions:

1) Of the Z-Stack downloads listed on the TI website: http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/z-stack.html ...none specifically mention the CC2531. Is the CC2531 supported by the Z-Stack, or will some adaptations be required?

2) Can their dongle be configured as an End Device using the latest Z-Stack and connect to their existing network?

3) Can their dongle be configured as a Router with joining disabled using the latest Z-Stack and connect to their existing network? They are using the HOME_AUTOMATION profile.

Thank you.

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 19350 points

    1. The ZStack-CC2530-2.3.1-1.4.0.exe, swrc126.zip, is the Z-Stack for our family of CC253x devices. So in that install, you will find CC2531 supported. Although the release did not contain a sample application with an explicit CC2531 target build (other than the ZNP sample app), I have posted such sample apps to the forum and will now post again to the blog so it is easy to find.

    2. I just did the experiment and see that yes, a ZED built from the Z-Stack 2.3.1 (so a PRO ZED) does a join to an old network formed by a ZC built from Z-Stack 1.4.3. I used the GenericApp and binding (via match descriptor request) worked as well as unicast messages back and forth.

    3. Yes, BUT ... a PRO ZR can only join a ZigBee 2006 network as a ZED with its power setting "RF On When Idle" (i.e. it will not be polling its parent and the parent will forward incoming messages to it without waiting for a POLL). And the GenericApp works as above in 2 (sans the POLLing). 

  • 0 in reply to Dirty Harry
    TI__Genius 11165 points

    Some further clarification:

    In regards to support for the CC2531, their interest was more along the lines of utilizing its integrated USB peripheral to interact with the Z-Stack via the MT interface.  To put it another way, we are wondering if the Z-Stack supports interacting with the USB peripheral, or will we need to modify the source code to support it?
    Configuring the dongle as a Router is definitely preferred because they would like it to be able to join the network at the Coordinator, which only allows Routers (not End Devices) to join, because it is possible to have someone working near the Coordinator but the nearest Router is out of range.  

    The EETimes website states:
    "The Alliance likes to position ZigBee Pro as a seamless     extension of 2006 ZigBee but making some formerly optional features mandatory means it is not completely backward compatible. The incompatibilities are all involved with router functions. A ZigBee 2006 node can join a 2007 network, and vice-versa but designers cannot mix 2006 routers with 2007 routers."
    http://www.eetimes.com/design/industrial-control/4012932/What-does-ZigBee-Pro-mean-for-your-application-

    Does TI see this as a concern as well?  If memory serves, with Z-Stack 1.4.x it was possible to configure a device as a Router and disable routing.  Is this possible with Z-Stack 2.3.x? 

    We are also wondering if TI has any data concerning the transmit/receive range of the CC2531EMK (nothing precise - just a general number for comparison purposes?)

  • 0 in reply to Kurt Schmidt
    TI__Mastermind 19350 points

    The sample applications with the CC2531 as a target build implement the CDC endpoint and show up to a PC as a virtual COM port, which I presume the customer will connect to with their PC application.

    As mentioned in the first reply, a PRO router or a PRO end device will join a ZigBee 2006 network as an end device.

    EETimes is free to make their interpretations, but their opinions have no consequence with regards to ZigBee certification - you should be referring to ZigBee.org for definitive answers, not EETimes.

    It has never been possible to configure a router to disable routing. It has been and still is possible to configure a router to disable joining.

    Doesn't swra117 answer the question about the antenna?

    http://focus.ti.com/lit/an/swra117d/swra117d.pdf