Introduction

This application note describes a client node in a Z-Wave system using the ATA5831/ATA8510 microcontroller together with the SAM L11 microcontroller.

Z-Wave is a wireless mesh protocol oriented to the residential control and automation market but also suitable for light commercial applications. The Z-Wave technology offers a simple yet reliable method to wirelessly control lights, door locks, and thermostats, along with a range of systems in residential and commercial environments. The Z-Wave protocol works in the unlicensed industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) bands. The specific frequency band varies from region to region and the frequency bands are defined in ITU-T G.9959.

Any wireless radio network can suffer from frequent frame drops due to fading effects, spurious noise and reflections. To combat such conditions, the Z-Wave protocol provides a low-level retransmission approach. In addition, the Z-Wave protocol employs a network layer mesh routing protocol to extend networks beyond what is possible in direct range.

Silicon Labs fully opened the Z-Wave specification to other silicon manufacturers and software developers in 2020.

This application note provides details on the following:

• A sample code of the ATA8510 implementing the Z-Wave protocol stack including Physical (PHY), Medium Access Control (MAC), Network (NWK)
• A default EEPROM configuration of the ATA8510 for Always Listening (AL) and Frequently Listening (FL) nodes
• A sample code of the SAM L11 implementing the Z-Wave protocol stack including Application Layer (APL)
• Getting started with the sample code
• A description of the code and the software interfaces