News

ZigBee Alliance Forms New Group To Expand Existing ZigBee IP Capabilities (25/3/2008)

The ZigBee Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, commercial and consumer applications, today announced a new initiative to further enhance ZigBee connectivity to the Internet and other networks by developing ways to more fully exploit ZigBee's already extensive IP capabilities. The ZigBee standard currently offers communication to a broad range of never before connected devices over the Internet, creating a true Internet of Things. This new initiative will make it easier for developers and system integrators to deploy ZigBee and to add additional features and functions, including IPv6 support.

As a global open standard, ZigBee offers wireless networking to an entirely new class of devices ranging from light switches to thermostats, and electric meters to medical devices. ZigBee offers an open platform allowing for the seamless cost effective integration of such devices with each other and into existing commercial communication infrastructures. Today, you can communicate with ZigBee devices in your home or office using the Internet from anywhere in the world. This new Alliance initiative will look to expand IP services even further into ZigBee networks and will augment existing ZigBee gateway programs providing standardized interfaces for ZigBee data. The initiative is part of the Alliance's ongoing technology evaluation programs ensuring interoperability of ZigBee solutions today, while providing support for other open technologies tomorrow.

"Southern California Edison is relying on ZigBee for our industry leading Edison SmartConnect(TM) program because it is a solid, standards-based platform that enables customer choice and is designed for long term sustainability," said Paul De Martini, Program Director at Southern California Edison. "Our team is working with other ZigBee members to ensure ZigBee remains a robust open wireless technology for years to come." An Edison International company, Southern California Edison is the largest electric utility in the state of California, serving a population of more than 13 million via 4.8 million customer accounts.

All ZigBee public application profiles feature product interoperability, regardless of manufacturer. Public profiles available today include:

-- ZigBee Smart Energy enables wireless communication between utility companies and common household devices such as smart thermostats and appliances either through the meter or over the Internet. It improves energy efficiency by allowing consumers to choose interoperable products from different manufacturers giving them the means to manage their energy consumption more precisely using automation and near real-time information.

-- ZigBee Home Automation offers reliable and interoperable products to be developed for the home by product manufacturers everywhere. It offers consumers unprecedented reliability, control, convenience, security and choice. ZigBee Home Automation provides standard interfaces for the control of lighting, HVAC, power outlets, motorization, security, audio/video and other devices. ZigBee HA devices are connected to other networks in many ways, including phone lines, mobile phones, set-top boxes and directly to the Internet offering remote access for information and control of devices at the home.

-- ZigBee Commercial Building Automation offers reliable and interoperable products to be developed for commercial applications by companies everywhere. It offers standard interfaces for the control of lighting, HVAC, power outlets, access control, security and other devices. ZigBee CBA devices are often used to extend existing building networks and connect to these other networks via ZigBee to BACnet, ZigBee to IP or ZigBee to other types of building networks.

"The ZigBee Alliance invites other companies and organizations looking at low-power wireless networks to join our efforts," said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "The ZigBee Alliance and its more than 250 members are dedicated to both the stability and growth needed to maintain global appeal.

www.zigbee.org