Request a Quote

The ZigBee System Solution –from Renesas - is a comprehensive platform for implementing reliable, cost-effective ZigBee wireless applications.

The solution includes a microcontroller (8/16/32-bit M16C), radio, ZigBee software stack, MAC software and integrated development environment.

The high-performance ZigBee System Solution reduces overall development costs, shortens system development time and maximizes valuable engineering resources, while providing the flexibility to accommodate current and future application requirements.

ZigBee is an open global standard to enable reliable, cost-effective, low-power, wirelessly networked monitoring and control products. ZigBee technology takes full advantage of a powerful radio device specified by the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and adds logical network, security, and application software. It supports static and dynamic star, cluster tree, and robust mesh networking structures. ZigBee-based designs can run for long periods on inexpensive batteries at very low power consumption, delivering low data rates (from 20 kbps using a 900MHz band to 250 kbps using a 2.4GHz band) for short-range communications (up to 100 meters).

Using Renesas' ZigBee development platform, you get the benefit of speed and convenience of a fully-integrated, off the shelf solution that enables you to experience true mesh networking and to evaluate and develop wireless ZigBee application and products.

Renesas' ZigBee development platform is a three-part solution that provides a very flexible approach for implementing ZigBee-compliant wireless applications. This three-part solution consists of complete demos to full development kits, as follows:

1) ZigBee Demo Kit (ZDK); allows you to experience true mesh networking first hand.

2) ZigBee Evaluation Kit (ZEK); allows you to test drive your application using full ZigBee stack and 802.15.4 MAC.

3) ZigBee Product Development kit (ZPK); allows you to deliver ZigBee solution at reduced development cost and at shortened system development time.

Part 1: The ZigBee Demo Kit (ZDK)

This kit provides you with the hardware, software, and documentation necessary to experience true ZigBee mesh networking capabilities first hand. The demo mesh network that you setup, can operate either at 2.4GHZ or 900MHz.

The hardware for ZDK consists of four M16C RF development boards, with one board pre-programmed with sniffer functionality. You can order additional boards to expand the network. The sniffer functionality allows you to monitor devices as they are created and join networks. Using this functionality, you can also trace packets transmitted over the air between nodes.

The ZDK software has been developed in-house at Renesas and includes a full implementation demo version of the ZigBee stack and IEEE 802.15.4 MAC. You also receive an evaluation version of the M16C software development suite of tools; use these tools to develop M16C applications.

Use the ZDK Quick-start Guide to get your demo up and running in minutes.

Please see www.america.renesas.com/zigbee for additional demos.

ZDK consists of the following:

• Four Renesas boards with:

– Low-power, high-performance M16C microcontrollers

– IEEE 802.15.4 standard-based radios

– Battery Packs

– LCD, temperature and light sensors, potentiometer, switches, and LEDs

– Sample driver code

• HEW4 integrated development
• Environment (IDE) and debug environment for M16C (evaluation version)
• ZigBee IEEE 802.15.4 software demo
• ZigBee IEEE 802.15.4 MAC software
• Renesas packet sniffer (one board is programmed with sniffer functionality)

Part 2 - ZigBee Evaluation Kit (ZEK)

ZEK provides a free evaluation version of the full ZigBee stack and IEEE 802.15.4 MAC software. This software is developed in-house by Renesas. Once ZEK is installed from the Renesas ZDK CD, you can test drive your application on existing ZDK boards. This evaluation version is available in binary form and is very flexible in allowing you to design true ZigBee applications. As a user, you get additional 32 to 64 Kbytes in the memory map for this evaluation version to support your application.

Part 3: ZigBee Product Development Kit (ZPK)

The ZPK provides you with a complete development environment to create a production quality ZigBee-compliant product. The ZPK allows you to deliver the ZigBee solution at reduced development cost and at shortened system development time.

In developing this product, Renesas provides answers to all your development questions via a single point of contact. You can also work with Renesas field engineers who are fully trained and available to support your ZigBee networking development needs. The salient features of ZPK are:

• ZigBee Stack – Complete set of ZigBee libraries, headers, and low-level driver source files
• Integrated RTOS for scheduling and increased system reliability
• Sample code
• Full support