6 Getting Started with Zigbee Applications

This document gives an overview of few key Zigbee 3.0 protocol concepts and guidance on implementing these features on PIC32CX-BZ/WBZ using Microchip software. The document describes how the protocol configurations such as application, device types, clusters, commissioning can be enabled/disabled, configured in a step by step manner using Microchip's embedded software development framework tools. Microchip Harmony Framework is a full feature, production grade, embedded software development platform from Microchip. It provides a framework for creating Zigbee devices running on PIC32CX-BZ/WBZ family of device and modules.

Device Types and Clusters

To allow interoperability among ZigBee products produced by various manufacturers, the ZigBee Alliance has defined a set of standard device types. These device types specify the functionality of a device. This functionality is again dependent on independent functional entities, called clusters which is a container of attributes which can be read/written through command/responses defined by Zigbee Device Profile(ZDP). The alliance also provides a library, ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) is intended to act as a repository for cluster functionality. A developer constructing a new application should use the ZCL to find relevant cluster functionality that can be incorporated into the new application so as not to re-invent the wheel.

Zigbee Device reference application implements behavior of Zigbee Lighting and Occupancy (ZLO) devices and Green power device for operation on a Zigbee network.

Supported Device Types

The following is the list of Application device types supported as part of reference applications:
  1. Combined Interface( Gateway / Coordinator)
  2. Light devices (OnOff / Dimmable / Color / Extended Color / Temperature Color Light)
  3. Thermostat
  4. Color scene controller
  5. Multi Sensor
  6. Intruder Alarm System(IAS) - ACE
  7. Zigbee Green Power (Proxy, Sink) - An additional feature which is enabled on top of the above device types based on its capability.

For more details regarding Zigbee lighting and Occupancy device types, refer to Zigbee Lighting and Occupancy (ZLO) device Specification by Zigbee Alliance.

Microchip Harmony framework allows users to create applications for above supported device types. The MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) is the GUI based configurator also allows user to select optional clusters as per their use case. Below it can be observed that how the supported device types can be accessed using MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) tool after launching MCC GUI.

[Follow the step by step procedure to generate a zigbee based project of any supported device type from MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC)](#tasks_1).

Supported Clusters

The clusters in the ZigBee Cluster Library incorporate the concept of a client, who initiates the transaction, and the server, who performs the work. For example, a light switch (color scene controller device type, which implements on/off cluster in client role) initiates the transaction when someone taps the light switch. One or more lights (OnOff device type which implements on/off cluster in server role) complete the transaction by turning on or off and perhaps reporting the status change to some monitoring device(s) (combined interface device type which implements on/off cluster in client role).The table below shows the client/server clusters available for various device types in Microchip Zigbee stack.

S. No

Device Type

Server Clusters

Client Clusters

1

Combined Interface

Basic

Identify

Groups

Tie

IAS ACE

Level Control

Color Control

Alarms

Thermostat

FanControl

Occupancy Sensing

Illuminance Measurement

Temperature Measurement

Thermostat UI

IAS Zone

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOnff

2

OnOff Light

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOff

Basic

Identify

Groups

3

Dimmable Light

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOff

Level Control

Basic

Identify

Groups

4

Color Dimmable Light

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOff

Level Control

Color Control

Basic

Identify

Groups

5

Extended Color Light

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOff

Level Control

Color Control

Basic

Identify

Groups

6

Temperature Color Light

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOff

Level Control

Color Control

Basic

Identify

Groups

7

Thermostat

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

Alarms

Thermostat

Fan Control

Occupancy Sensing

Temperature Measurement

Temperature UI Configuration

Basic

Identify

Groups

Time

Fan Control

Occupancy Sensing

Illuminance

Temperature Measurement

8

Color Scene Controller

Basic

Identify

Groups

Scenes

OnOff

Level Control

Color Control

Basic

Identify

Groups

9

Multisensor

Basic

Identify

Groups

Occupancy Sensing

Illuminance Measurement

Temperature Measurement

Diagnostics

Basic

Identify

Groups

10

Intruder Alarm System (IAS) ACE

Basic

Identify

Groups

IAS Zones

Basic

Identify

Groups

IAS ACE
For more details regarding clusters, refer to the specification from Zigbee AllianceLink to Zigbee Cluster Library Specification by Zigbee Alliance

For more details regarding mandatory or optional clusters for specific device type, refer to, the specification from Zigbee Alliance Link to Zigbee Lighting and Occupancy Devices by Zigbee Alliance

The following figure illustrates how the available clusters can be accessed for a combined interface device type, using MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) tool. The optional clusters/attributes/commands as per zigbee device specification can be added/removed from the project through configuration as per custom use case.

Reference Examples

The following is the list of Application device types supported as part of reference applications:

  1. Combined Interface( Gateway / Coordinator)

  2. Light devices (OnOff / Dimmable / Color / Extended Color / Temperature Color Light)

  3. Thermostat

  4. Color scene controller

  5. Multi Sensor (with low power mode enabled)

  6. Intruder Alarm System(IAS) - ACE

  7. Zigbee Green Power (Proxy, Sink) - An additional feature which is enabled on top of the above device types based on its capability

    Few sample application projects are available as reference in the zigbee folder. Other device type projects can be created using MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC) tool. For steps, refer to Zigbee Project Generation

Demo Steps

Following demo steps explain in detail how to establish zigbee network, zigbee commissioning and data exchange between zigbee devices:

  1. Centralized Network Formation in Combined Interface

  2. Light control and Monitoring using Combined Interface

Note: Though the demo step takes Combined interface and extended color light/multi-sensor, the hardware setup, network formation, commissioning/joining procedures can be followed for other supported device types like Thermostat, IAS ACE joining to combined interface network.

Serial Console Commands

For more information, refer to Serial Console Commands

References

  1. IEEE Std 802.15.4™-2006 Part 15.4: Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications for Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs)

  2. https://zigbeealliance.org/

  3. https://groups.zigbee.org/wg/progp-bg/document

  4. https://zigbeealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/docs-15-0014-05-0plo-Lighting-OccupancyDevice-Specification-V1.0.pdf

  5. https://zigbeealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/07-5123-06-zigbee-cluster-library-specification.pdf