Digi XBee ZigBee Modules come with SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface)

Digi International is introducing the new generation of their XBee modules. The new XBee and XBee-PRO ZB embedded ZigBee modules are based on the Ember EM357 SoC (ARM Cortex-M3 -based) and feature SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) high-speed connectivity and SMT (Surface Mount Technology) packaging. The new XBee modules will be backwards compatible with existing hardware and software. The products will be available in market in July-August 2010.

The SMT packaging of new Digi’s XBee modules are ideal for high-volume applications where manufacturing efficiencies are important. The addition of SPI uncover higher speed data throughput and optimizes integration with microcontrollers. The new XBee ZigBee modules feature ZigBee Smart Energy-ready firmware, ideal for load controllers, metering devices, in-home displays and other low energy applications.

Digi’s new XBee Zigbee modules will be available in July 2010 for $17 (single module pricing). The extended-range XBee-PRO ZB modules will be available in August 2010 for $28 (single module pricing).

Overview of XBee and XBee-PRO ZB embedded ZigBee modules

Source: digi.com

XBee and XBee-PRO ZB embedded RF modules provide wireless connectivity to end-point devices in ZigBee mesh networks. Utilizing the ZigBee PRO Feature Set, these modules are interoperable with
other ZigBee devices, including devices from other vendors (Interoperability requires the ZigBee Feature Set or ZigBee PRO Feature Set to be deployed on all devices). XBee users can have their ZigBee network up-and-running in a matter of minutes, without configuration or additional development.

Digi’s XBee and XBee-PRO ZB Embedded ZigBee Applications

Key features of XBee and XBee-PRO ZB embedded ZigBee modules:

• No configuration needed for out-of-the-box RF communications
• Interoperability with ZigBee devices from other vendors (requires the ZigBee Feature Set or ZigBee PRO Feature Set)
• Advanced configuration options available via simple AT or API commands
• ZigBee mesh networking protocol
• • Improved data traffic management
  • Remote firmware updates
  • Self-healing and discovery for network stability
• Programmable XBee-PRO ZB offers foolproof customization or application development
• Outdoor RF line-of-sight range up to 1 mile (1.6 km)
• Common XBee footprint for a variety of RF modules

XBee modules are ideal for low-power, low-cost applications. XBee-PRO modules are power-amplified, extended-range versions of XBee modules. Products in the XBee family are easy to use, share a
common hardware footprint, and are interoperable with other XBee products. Available in a variety of protocols for different applications, one XBee can be substituted for another with minimal development time and risk.

Digi’s unsurpassed offering of Drop-in Networking products provides seamless communication between devices. XBee adapters provide wireless connectivity to devices in wired networks. XBee wall routers
extend the range and strength of a ZigBee network. ConnectPort X gateways enable users to access remote devices in a network.

Overview of Ember EM351 & EM357 - 802.15.4 and ZigBee Compliant SoC

Source: ember.com

The EM351 and EM357 ZigBee chips from Ember are the industry’s first ARM Cortex-M3 based family of SoCs delivering unmatched performance, power consumption and code density in a compact package.

The EM351 and EM357 combine a 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver with a 32-bit microprocessor, Flash memory and RAM with powerful hardware supported network-level debugging features. This, combined with the powerful ecosystem of ARM tools, enables OEMs to simplify development and accelerate time to market.

Ember EM351/EM357 802.15.4 and ZigBee SoC

The EM300 family is tightly integrated with EmberZNet PRO, Ember’s ZigBee compliant mesh networking software which is the most deployed ZigBee platform in the market.

• EM351—integrates a programmable ARM Cortex-M3 processor, IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver, 128 KB Flash and 12 KB RAM and EmberZNet PRO network protocol stack supporting the ZigBee PRO Feature Set
• EM357—optimized for applications that require more memory, it has 192 KB Flash but incorporates all the other characteristics and features of the EM351

Key features of EM351 and EM357 ZigBee chips:

• Industry’s first ARM Cortex-M3 based family of SoCs
• Exceptional, industry leading RF performance
• 128 KB (EM351) and 192 KB (EM357) flash variants available
• 12 KB RAM
• High code density to accommodate the most sophisticated applications
• Lowest deep sleep current and multiple sleep modes
• Excellent immunity to other 2.4 GHz devices for reliable co-existence
• Built in memory protection
• Flexible Antenna Interface allows easy antenna connection with or without PA
• Flash guaranteed for 20,000 write cycles, enhances token storage capability via SIM-EEPROM
• AES 128 hardware encryption engine with true random number generator
• Hardware supported network level debugging with InSight Port
• Capable of being ZigBee Coordinator (ZC), full function device (FFD) and reduced function device (RFD)

Ember EM351/EM357 802.15.4 and ZigBee SoC - Block Diagram

Low Power, High Total Link Budget, Robust Co-existence

The EM300 family delivers outstanding, industry leading performance with a configurable Total Link Budget up to 110 dB, while maintaining the highest level of integration requiring minimal external components. The high transmit power virtually eliminates the need for an external Power Amplifier (PA) in most applications especially in Europe and Asia. Where PA is required, the product is designed to allow an external PA or Front End Module (FEM) to be easily connected.

The EM300 family offers the lowest sleep current of any ZigBee system in the market. Developers can take advantage of the integrated EmberZNet PRO networking library to incorporate short wake cycles. Also, integrated clocks provide optimized wake-sleep cycles to conserve power. The integrated voltage regulator supports a wide range of operating voltages allowing hardware designs to be optimized for lithium-ion or alkaline batteries without additional circuitry.

The EM351 and EM357 ZigBee SoCs are extremely robust providing exceptional immunity and reliable co-existence with other 2.4 GHz devices in the environment.

ARM Cortex-M3 Processor

The integrated 32-bit ARM Corex-M3 processor provides a very high code density allowing larger applications, while delivering exceptional performance in a small, power efficient RISC core. Well recognized for its outstanding computational performance
and exceptional system response to interrupts the ARM processor enables a small core footprint and best in class code density. The performance of the Cortex-M3 processor coupled with the performance of the Ember stack helps deliver network throughput and lower latencies that are unmatched in the industry.

ZigBee Compliant Stack and Development Environment

The EM300 series comes tightly integrated with EmberZNet PRO, the industry’s most deployed and field proven ZigBee compliant stack supporting the ZigBee PRO Feature Set and enhanced with unique Ember innovations. Enabling larger, denser, sleepier, more mobile, secure and resilient ZigBee Networks, EmberZNet PRO is a complete ZigBee protocol software package containing all the elements required for sophisticated mesh networking applications on Ember’s silicon platforms.

Ember’s InSight™ Development Environment is supported by a variety of industry leading IDE’s to provide best in class tools to build and debug embedded ZigBee applications. The InSight Desktop tool is designed for developing, compiling, loading and debugging software onto multiple nodes in a networked environment. The availability of standard ARM tools and the ARM serial wire and JTAG debug capabilities provides complete instruction level and register level debugging capabilities. The EM351 and EM357 support special hardware based network debugging capabilities to help identify complex network level interactions that cannot be caught by examining a single node.

References:

• Press release: Digi Launches Next Generation XBee and XBee-PRO ZigBee Modules (_http://www10.edacafe.com/nbc/articles/1/831812/Digi-Launches-Next-Generation-XBee-XBee-PRO-ZigBee-Modules)
• Datasheet: XBee & XBee-PRO ZB - ZigBee Embedded RF Modules for OEMs (_http://www.digi.com/pdf/ds_xbeezbmodules.pdf)
• Press release: New EM300 Series first ZigBee system-on-chips (SoCs) based on the 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor (_http://www.ember.com/press_release.html?id=312)
• EM351 and EM357 ZigBee chips (_http://www.ember.com/products_zigbee_chips_e300series.html)
• EM351/EM357 - 802.15.4 and ZigBee Compliant SoC
  (_http://www.ember.com/pdf/ember-EM300.pdf)