Zigbee modules explained

Zigbee has been designed for sensors and wireless controls and it can be built and used into almost everything in offices and homes including appliances, doors and switches.

The devices which are zigbee enabled would be able to interact with each other and you would be able to control them all through a remote control or a cell phone. Zigbee goes beyond the single wireless devices and can be used in almost anything at all. It travels greater distances and can handle several sensors and perform various tasks at once.

The reason why Zigbee tends to work so well is because the sensors and the controls do not need to receive or send too much data. It has been designed in such a way that the data rate is 250kbps which is quite low when compared to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Since it transmits quite slowly, it does not utilize much power and so the batteries used would last for as many as ten years. The transmitter and the sensor which reports the activities would be able to run for a very long time using the same batteries.

How does Zigbee work?

Zigbee utilizes digital radios to work which allows the devices to communicate with each other. A typical network of Zigbee would consist of various types of devices. There would be a network coordinator which would be a device that would set up the network and would be aware of the nodes within the network. It would manage the information which is received and sent and the information about the nodes within its network.

Every network will need to have a network coordinator to function. There could also be FFD’s or Full Function Devices within the network which will support all the functions. These can work as coordinators, devices and network routers. The other devices in the network include RFD or the Reduced Function Device.

The Zigbee Modules

Zigbee provides power efficient and cost effective solutions for a large range of applications and the Zigbee modules allow the OEMs to add various powerful wireless capabilities to the electronic devices without having to use RF knowledge and expertise.

Zigbee CC2520 2.4GHz RF Transceiver IC for ISM band x10

$19.90

Zigbee CC2520 2.4GHz RF Transceiver IC for ISM band

$2.40

These devices will form their family of low power transceiver modules which are based on SN250 chip and a network processor which would be Zigbee compliant and use meshing technology.

Zigbee modules are normally used in the wireless sensor networks and remote monitoring. It can also be used for a wide variety of other applications like for security systems, wireless alarms, building and home automation, entertainment, health and sports equipments and for communication between machines.

The zigbee modules are normally small in size, utilize very low power and are cost effective. These modules can be used for automating almost any type of equipment and device in the house.