What is IEEE802.15.4?
IEEE802.15.4 is a wireless standard suited for establishing a wireless sensor network. It allows for bidirectional communications, and it is used to collect the information from sensors or for remote control of terminal devices.
The features of IEEE802.15.4 include:
International Standard
IEEE802.15.4 is a standard established by IEEE (read I-Triple-E) based in the US. Because it is an international standard, stable availability of products can be secured with more than one vendor supplying the products compliant with the specifications. When the ISM band in the 2.4 GHz band is used, the products can be sold not only domestically but also in the world.
ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 Module TOCOS Wireless Engine uses the 2.4 GHz band, and therefore, can be used across the world. Before use, however, you need to obtain certification according to radio acts of each country. ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4/ Module TOCOS Wireless Engine has obtained certification in Japan (Technical Regulations Conformity Certification mark). For the status of obtaining certification in other countries, please contact us.
Bidirectional Digital Communications
By adopting Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (O-QPSK) as a modulation system and Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) as a spread system, IEEE802.15.4 is resistant to disturbance noise and allows for stable digital bidirectional communications.
ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 Module TOCOS Wireless Engine automatically processes the confirmation of reception (sending and receiving ACK) in hardware. In addition, a retry of data transmission can be also done by hardware automatically.
Encrypted Communications
IEEE802.15.4 has adopted 128 bit AES codes, the reliable encryption technology introduced in internet banking and online shopping, which helps maintain the security of data communications.
ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 Module TOCOS Wireless Engine encrypts a packet in the hardware, so it can process it faster than the implementation by software.
Low Power Consumption
One of the design concepts for IEEE802.15.4 is to minimize the power consumption. It can work for more than a year without replacing batteries, can operate on a coin battery, or can also be driven by Energy Harvesting Element (Energy Harvester), the technology that allows power to be obtained from light, heat, or vibration. The feature makes it possible to use wireless functions even in a place that was difficult to install the equipment before.
ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 Module TOCOS Wireless Engine boasts long-term operation with the world' s top level power saving design.
Low Speed
IEEE802.15.4 is designed to have lower communications speed compared with wireless LAN and Bluetooth. That is because by keeping the communications speed optimal for a wireless sensor network (250 kbps), it aims to achieve low power consumption and high communications sensitivity. Although the speed is expressed as low, it surely has a necessary and sufficient speed for establishing sensor networks.
ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 Module TOCOS Wireless Engine can switch between 250 kbps, compliant with IEEE802.15.4, and 500/667 kbps, a turbo mode. Using the turbo mode allows you to save further energy because the data transfer time will be shortened.
Standard Protocol
IEEE802.15.4 has been adopted as a physical layer for wireless communications by not only ZigBee Alliance, but also many standardization bodies including RF4CE and IETF. Various standard communications protocols are implemented on IEEE802.15.4. The fact that you can freely choose communications protocols like this is also one of the features of IEEE802.15.4. IEEE802.15.4 can support wireless sensor networks in a very flexible way.
In addition to the implementation of IEEE802.15.4 on a MAC layer, ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4 Module TOCOS Wireless Engine offers options of a protocol stack of JenNet and ZigBee PRO. It is also possible to, instead of using the standard protocol stack, implement your original protocol stack on IEEE802.15.4.
TOCOS Wireless Engine is a 32 bit wireless microcomputer module compliant with IEEE802.15.4.
It features low power consumption and reliable communications performance.
For more details on our products, please see Wireless Products
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