Z-Wave

Z-Wave is now in the intelligent Home Furnishing used more and more widespread, including American Aeon, Tai Jiabao, Sidi, Fabio and other European using this technology, the design is especially suitable for residential, commercial lighting control and reading application. Compared to this technology, ZigBee and ZigBee protocols are more complex and have longer development times. While it uses simpler protocols, it is faster and simpler to develop.

 

Z-Wave Technology

This is a new short-range wireless communication technology based on radio frequency, low cost, low power consumption, high reliability, and suitable for the network.

The working frequency of 908.42MHz (USA) ~868.42MHz (Europe), FSK (BFSK/GFSK) modulation, data transmission rate is 9.6 Kbps, the effective signal coverage is 30m in indoor and outdoor can be more than 100m, suitable for narrow bandwidth applications.

With the increase of communication distance, equipment complexity, power consumption, and system cost are increasing, compared with the various existing wireless communications technology, the technology will be the lowest power consumption and minimum cost technology, a strong impetus to the low rate wireless personal area network.

The origin of Z-Wave technology

This is a wireless networking standard is dominated by Denmark Corporation Zensys, short-range wireless network communication technology is different from the ZigBee technology, is a chip and software developer Zensys with the addition of more than a new alliance formed this alliance, to promote the use of this protocol in the field of home automation.

Although there is no ZigBee alliance is strong, but the members are already present in the field of intelligent Home Furnishing products manufacturers, the alliance has more than 160 well-known international companies, the scope of the basic coverage of various countries, and regions in the world. Famous manufacturers Cisco, Intel have invested in Zensys and joined the alliance. Microsoft is also a member of the alliance.

Z-Wave Technical features

1, The technology is designed for residential, lighting, commercial control, and status reading applications, such as meter reading, lighting, and home appliances control, HVAC, access control, anti-theft, and fire detection.

2, It can convert any independent device into an intelligent network device, so that control and wireless monitoring can be realized.

3, This technology in the initial design, will be located in the smart home wireless control area. Using small data format transmission, 40kb/s is fast enough to cope with early or even 9.6kb/s transmission. Compared with other similar wireless technologies, it has a relatively low transmission frequency, relatively long transmission distance, and certain price advantage.

4, The technology for narrowband applications and the use of innovative software solutions to replace the high cost of hardware, so the wireless network takes other similar technology to a small part of the cost to form high quality.

5, It is mainly for home and small commercial building monitoring and control, widely applicable to lighting control, safety, and climate control. Other applications include smoke detectors, door locks, safety sensors, household appliances, and remote controls.

6, This technology can also be used in smart meters, for household HVAC monitoring and control to provide consumption data.

The difference between Z-Wave technology and ZigBee Technology

Consistent application of this technology and ZigBee technology. Among them, the versatility of ZigBee is far more than this, and almost any short-range wireless function can be configured and implemented.

The application specification can also greatly shorten the development time of common applications. But on the other hand, ZigBee protocols are more complex and longer development time.

It uses simpler protocols that are faster and simpler to develop.

The intelligent furniture brand based on Z-Wave

The United States, Aeon, Tai Jiabao, Europe, Sidi, Fabio, and so on,  Highfive Electronics has general intelligence Home Furnishing by European Z-Wave technology, after years of research and practice, developed a series of intelligent security systems, intelligent control system, intelligent entertainment system based wireless smart home control system.

Highifve Electronics Home Furnishing system is stable, the performance of smart simple installation and convenient use, multiple functions of the product can realize remote visual intercom, intelligent lock, remote video surveillance video, Home Furnishing security, remote alarm notification, remote control Home Furnishing intelligent integrated management.

Z-Wave Network structure

Each of these networks has its own network address (HomeID); the address (NodeID) of each node in the network is assigned by the control node (Controller). Each network contains up to 232 nodes (Slave), including control nodes.

Control nodes can have multiple, but only one master control node, that is, all nodes in the network are assigned by the main control node, and other control nodes just forward the command of the main control node.

Common nodes that have been networked and all control nodes can be controlled. Nodes beyond the communication distance can be controlled by routing (Routing) by means of other nodes between the controller and the controlled node.

Z-Wave Routing Technology

It uses a dynamic routing technique where each Slave has a routing table that is written by Controller. Store information for other Slave NodeID that exists when the Slave is in-network. In this way, each Slave knows what Slaves are around, and the Controller stores all of the Slaves’ routing information. When Controller and Slave controlled the distance beyond the maximum control distance, the path to send commands to Controller will call the last correct control of the Slave, such as the failure path, from the first Slave start to search for a new path.

Z-Wave Application

Z-Wave system solution Sanshiyiting rooms: 3 embedded lighting controllers, 3 wall switches, a full-function infrared remote control, a touch screen control system constitutes the main controller; embedded handheld controller for the scene, scene function expansion module. The full-function infrared remote controller and touch control panel are Controller, embedded lighting controller, embedded scene controller, and handhold scene controller are Slaves.

In view of the fact that all devices in the system use routing technology, the installation needs only to ensure that the distance between the two embedded devices is smaller than the farthest communication distance. After the installation is completed, all the devices are connected to the network by the HRPZ full-function infrared remote control device. After the network is touched, the network devices can be updated synchronously to the touch control panel.

After the device is connected to the network, the user can see the switch status of all the Z-Wave access devices in the home through the full function remote controller and the touch control screen, and can conveniently control the switch. If you touch the control screen into the Internet network, you can use PDA, PC, and other remote control through Internet network appliances at home.
In the system equipped with HRPZ full-function remote control, users can more easily realize the mobile control at home.

The embedded controller and a handheld controller scenario PC through the configuration software, touch screen or supporting set meetings, video, and other scenes, through one key operation control to complete a series of combination functions.

Z-Wave Marketing strategy

Short distance wireless communication technology is different from the ZigBee technology, is a chip and software developer Zensys and also formed a new alliance, the alliance, to promote the use of the protocol in the field of home automation.

Cisco and Intel have invested in Zensys and joined the alliance. Microsoft is also a member of the alliance.

As everyone knows, the Danish Lego toys worldwide are welcome, in a global Z-Wave technology conference, the chairman of the alliance made the prospect of its market prospect, it will work to build the adult toy, the development direction of this is a set of entertainment function and utility functions.

The Z-Wave locking technology platform is home automation, and the role of Z-Wave is to replace existing X-10 specifications, and there has been a symbiotic bridge product of X-10 and Z-Wave. And derived from a variety of products, in foreign countries, many like DIY, home automation users have begun to pay attention to and use Z-Wave.

On the technical side, Z-Wave upgraded from the original 9.6Kbit/s to 40Kbit/s and claimed that the original 9.6Kbit/s could coexist with 40Kbit/s after the upgrade. In terms of node number, a Z-Wave network can support two hundred and thirty-two points.

The routing protocol used by Z-Wave is source routing (Source Routing), where packets are sent from the source to specify detailed routing paths within the packet. This approach greatly eliminates the resources that each node spends on routing. Z-Wave’s third-generation chip ZW0301, in which the microcontroller core makes the use of six times speed 8051 architecture, with 32KB’s Flash, ROM, and 256KB SRAM. In terms of current dissipation, the sleep mode is 2.5 microamperes, receiving 23 Ma, and the emission is 36 amperes at the 0dBm output. However, due to the frequency selected in the 868/908MHz, such power consumption is still slightly higher.

Although Z-Wave is not perfect, the lock of the market and their products and Windows products with Zensys dynamic link library with the development of Windows (Dynamically Linked Library, DLL), the designer can directly call the DLL API function (Application Program, Interface, API) to the PC software design.

In particular, PC and the remote user interface is the user intuitive user experience of the media, industrial design, and product modeling and texture, it is to enhance the value of the place, and these are all Z-Wave manufacturers are willing to invest in the field of the alliance. While the rest of the technology is hosted by the platform provider, Z-Wave’s customers can focus on upgrading and increasing user experience.

Z-Wave Prospects

Z-Wave is a kind of simple structure, low cost, reliable performance of the wireless communication technology, the wireless network construction of Z-Wave technology, not only can realize the remote control of household appliances through the network equipment, even on Z-Wave devices in the network through Internet control network. In 2011 the United States CES, win top have launched Internet-based products such as remote control, remote monitoring, remote lighting control, and the technology is mature, mainly still need some time to cultivate a market development and consumer groups.

With the Z-Wave alliance expanding constantly, the application of this technology will also not limited to smart Home Furnishing, in the hotel control system, industrial automation, automation, and other agricultural fields will find the Z-Wave wireless network figure.

 

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