Other Types of Networks:
Bluetooth, Zigbee, & NFC
CS303
Dilum Bandara
Dilum.Bandara@uom.lk
Slides adapted from Prof. Dr. Ing. Jochen Schiller

Why?
 Up to now, we have concentrated on TCP/IP
 Because TCP/IP is the most popular type of network
 However, it’s not always the best option
 Not all networks need IP
 Overkill due to high footprint
 Specific/custom protocols are suitable for other
applications
 SNA, DECNet, Novell Netware, NetBEUI, WAP – old
 Bluetooth, ZigBee, Fiber channel, NFC – recent
2

Protocols Considered
 Bluetooth
 ZigBee
 Near Field Communication (NFC)
3
Source: http://mwrf.com/active-components/nfc-prepares-wide-adoption

Bluetooth – IEEE 802.15.1
 Introduced to
 Replace cables
 Multiparty data exchange
 Personal trusted device
 Developed by Ericsson
 Now managed by Bluetooth Special Interest Group
4

Bluetooth (Cont.)
 2.4 – 2.48 GHz ISM band
 Range – 10m
 Bandwidth – 2.1 Mbps (shared) (version 2.0)
 Version 4.0
 Includes Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth high speed & Bluetooth low
energy protocols
 Bluetooth high speed based on Wi-Fi
 Classic Bluetooth based on legacy Bluetooth protocols
 Low power consumption
 Found in mobile phones, laptops, computer peripherals,
printers, etc.
5

Bluetooth Applications
6
Source: www.anwsoft.com.tw/Products_Bluetooth_Solutions.html
• Stick N Find

Bluetooth Protocol Stack
7
Source: http://withfriendship.com/user/sathvi/bluetooth-stack.php

Protocols & Usage Models
8
PPP
RFCOMM
TCP/IP
Baseband
L2CAP
OBEX
IrMC
TCS-BIN
Audio
Sync Dial-up
net.
Usage Models
File
Transfer
AT-commands
Fax Headset LAN
Access
Cordless
Phone
SDP
LMP

Bluetooth Protocol Stack (Cont.)
9

Other Key Layers
 Link Management Protocol (LMP)
 Set-up & control of radio link between 2 devices
 Logical Link Control & Adaptation Protocol (L2CAP)
 Multiplex multiple logical connections between 2 devices using
different higher-level protocols
 Provides segmentation & reassembly of on-air packets
 Service Discovery Protocol (SDP)
 Allows a device to discover services offered by other devices, &
their associated parameters
 Baseband layer
 Physical layer
 Manages physical channels & links
 Error correction, data whitening, hop selection, & security
10

Bluetooth Applications/Profiles
 Set of application protocols
 Definitions of possible applications & general behaviors
 Resides on top of Bluetooth core specification &
(optionally) additional protocols
 Example profiles
 Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
 Basic Printing Profile (BPP)
 Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP)
 File Transfer Profile (FTP)
 Human Interface Device Profile (HID)
 Personal Area Networking Profile (PAN)
 Generic Object Exchange Profile (GOEP)
 OBEX
11

Baseband Layer – Bluetooth Piconet
 Through master
 No slave-to-slave communication
 Up to 7 active slaves 255 parked slaves 12
Source: www.techrepublic.com/article/secure-
your-bluetooth-wireless-networks-and-protect-
your-data/6139987

Baseband Layer – Bluetooth Scatternet
 By connecting 2+
piconets
13
Source: www.techrepublic.com/article/secure-
your-bluetooth-wireless-networks-and-protect-
your-data/6139987

ZigBee
 IEEE 802.15.4 covers physical layer & MAC layer of low-
rate WPAN
 WPAN – Wireless Personal Area Network
 Adds network construction, application services, & more
on top of IEEE 802.15.4
 Star networks, peer-to-peer/mesh networks, & cluster-tree
networks
 By ZıgBee Alliance
 Very low power consumption  long battery life
 Low data rate
 Low complexity circuits & small size  low cost
14

ZigBee Applications
TELECOM
SERVICES
m-commerce
info services
object interaction
(Internet of Things)
ZigBee
Wireless Control that
Simply Works
TV
VCR
DVD/CD
remote
security
HVAC
lighting control
access control
irrigation
PC &
PERIPHERALS
asset mgt
process
control
environmental
energy mgt
PERSONAL
HEALTH CARE
security
HVAC
AMR
lighting control
access control
patient
monitoring
fitness
monitoring
15Source: ZıgBee Alliance

ZigBee Protocol Stack
16
Source: www.sena.com/products/industrial_zigbee/zigbee_summary.php

IEEE 802.15.4 Devıce Types
 Defined by IEEE 802.15.4 (LR-WPAN)
1. Full Functional Device (FFD)
2. Reduced Functional Device (RFD)
 FFD can work as a PAN coordinator, as a coordinator, or
as a simple device
 RFD for applications that don’t need to transmit large
volumes of data & have to communicate only with a
specific FFD
 FFD can communicate with either another FFD or a RFD
17

ZigBee Topologies
18
Source: http://wireless.arcada.fi/MOBWI/material/PAN_5_2.html

ZigBee Topologies (Cont.)
1. Star Topology
 Pros
 Easy to synchronize
 Low latency
 Cons
 Small scale
2. Mesh/P2P Topology
 Pros
 Robust multi-hop
communication
 Multi-path communication
 Flexible network
 Lower latency
 Cons
 Route discovery is costly
 Needs to store routing
table
19

ZigBee Topologies (Cont.)
3. Cluster Tree Topology
 Pros
 Low routing cost
 Multi-hop communication
 Scalable
 Cons
 Route reconstruction is costly
 Latency may be quite long
 Root not becomes a single point of failure
20

Physical & MAC Layers
 2 different services are defined in 802.15.4
 Data service
 Controls radio – Tx/Rx of PPDUs & MPDUs
 Management service
 Energy detection in the channel
 Clear channel assesment before sending the messages
 Link Quality Indication (LQI) for the received packets
 If coordinator – Manages network beacons, PAN association &
disassociation, frame validation, & acknowledgment
 Support device security
21

Traffic-Modes – Device to PAN
Coordinator
 Beacon mode
 Beacon send periodically
 Coordinator & end device
can go to sleep
 Lowest energy
consumption
 Precise timing needed
 Beacon period (ms-min)
22
Source: IEEE 802.15.4 Standard
(2006)

Traffic-Modes – Device to PAN
Coordinator (Cont.)
 Non-Beacon mode
 Coordinator/routers have
to stay awake
 Heterogeneous network
 Asymmetric power
23
Source: IEEE 802.15.4 Standard
(2006)

Data Transfer From PAN Coordınator
24
Source: IEEE 802.15.4 Standard
(2006)

Network Layer
 Distributed address assignment
 Tree structure or self managed by higher layer
 16-bit network space divided among child routers
 Child routers divide there space again for their
children
 Depends on
 Maximum child count per parent
 Maximum child-routers per parent
 Maximum network depth
25

Network Layer (Cont.)
 Route discovery
 Find or update route between specific source &
destination
 Started if no active route present in routing table
 Broadcast routing request (RREQ) packets
 Generates routing table entries for hops to source
 Endpoint router responds with Routing response
(RREP) packet
 Routes generated for hops to destination
 Routing table entry generated in source device
26

Route Discovery
A
B
RREQ
RREP
1 2 3
4
2
1
5
27

Network Layer (Cont.)
 Routing
 Check if routing table entry exists
 Initiate route discovery if possible
 Hierarchical routing as fallback
 Route maintenance
 Track failed deliveries to neighbors
 Initiate route repair when threshold reached
 Careful with network load!
 In case of total connectivity loss
 Orphaning procedure
 Re-association with network
28

ZigBee Profiles
 Describes a common language for exchanging data
 Defines offered services
 Device interoperability across different manufacturers
 Standard profiles available from the ZigBee Alliance
 Profiles contain device descriptions
 Unique identifier (licensed by the ZigBee Alliance)
29

Near Field Communication (NFC)
 Range <= 10 cm
 13.56 MHz
 106 – 424 Kbps
 Based on magnetic field induction between
readers & tags in a Radio Frequency
IDentification (RFID)
 Started in 2004
 Nokia, Philips, & Sony
 2006 – 1st Nokia phone
 2010 – 1st Android
30

NFC Applications
31
Source: http://corp.qliktag.com/nfc-for-business/
• Visa Paywave

Technology
32
Source: http://fppt.com

Modes of Operations
 Active Mode
 Both devices generate electromagnetic field &
exchange data
 2 phones
 Passive Mode
 One active device & other uses that electromagnetic
field & exchange data
 A phone & RFID tagged poster
33

NFC Protocol Stack
34
Source: http://mwrf.com

NFC Protocol Stack (Cont.)
35

Pros & Cons
 Pros
 Convenience
 Low cost
 Low energy consumption
 Better security
 No search & pair procedure
 Less configuration
 Cons
 Low range
 Low data range
36

Low Energy
Bluetooth
ZigBee NFC Low Power
WiFi
Frequency
(MHz)
2402 – 2482 868 - 868.8,
902 - 928,
2402 – 2482
13.56 2400 - 2500
Channels 3 16 1 3
Modulation GFSK BPSK &
QPSK
ASK 64QAM
Max potential
data rate
1 Mbps 250 Kbps 424 Kbps 54 Mbps
Range 10m 100+m 10cm 30m
Power Profile Days Months/Years Months/Years Hours
Complexity Complex Simple Simple Complex
Nodes/Master 7 65,000 1+1
Extendibility No Yes No Yes
ZigBee, Bluetooth, NFC, vs., WiFi
37

Conclusion
 Many other networking technologies exist
 Have different features & protocols stacks
 They inter-operate with IP in various ways
38