FlexiPanel
Summary
EasyBee is an IEEE 802.15.4 compliant RF
transceiver. It enables designers to easily add
ZigBee / IEEE 802.15.4 wireless capability to their
products without the need for RF or antenna
design expertise.
The module contains all RF circuitry, including
integral antenna and controller in a simple-to-use,
plug-in or surface mount module. A 4-wire SPI port
interfaces to a baseband microcontroller.
The PHY (Physical) layer includes an impedance
matched balun and integral antenna. The MAC
(Media Access Control) layer includes CRC-16
generation, clear channel assessment, signal
energy detection, security, encryption and
authentication.
EasyBee is a fully capable device and a ZigBee
networking layer is not required for point-to-point
communication. If ZigBee is required, compatible
ZigBee stacks include Microchip Technology’s free
ZigBee stack, and Figure-8’s ZigBee stack.
TM
EasyBee
2.4GHz ZigBee ready IEEE 802.15.4 RF transceiver
Features
• 2.4GHz IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee RF module
• Free space range approx 120m
• Raw data rate 250kbps
• FCC / CE compliance planned
• Integral antenna
• Based on ChipCon CC2420 RF controller:
- 4-wire SPI interface
- separate 128-byte Rx & Tx FIFO buffers
• For ZigBee use controller of developer’s choice,
e.g. PIC running Microchip stack or ATMEL
running Figure-8 stack
• Output power 1mW / 0dBm
• Consumes just 20mA (Rx), 18mA (Tx)
• 2.1V – 3.6V supply
• Surface mount or with PCB headers
• Wide temperature range -40ºC to +85ºC
• Just 26mm x 20mm
Applications
This module is an application-ready solution for
fast-to-market ZigBee and IEEE 802.15.4
communications, providing the development
engineer unlimited choice of host controller and
stack firmware provider.
EasyBee
Gnd
Gnd
Gnd
SCK
SO
Resetn
SFD
CCA
FIFOP
Manufactured to ISO9001:2000
Gnd
Gnd
Gnd
DVdd
SI
VRegEn
FIFO
CSn
Gnd
• IEEE 802.15.4 & ZigBee networks
• Cable replacement
• Home / building automation
• Industrial control & networking
• Wireless sensor networks
Ordering Information
Table 1. Ordering information
Part No Description
EASYBEE SO EasyBee 18-contact surface mount module
EASYBEE DIL EasyBee 18-pin 0.1” Dual-in-Line module
EVAL EASYBEE EasyBee daughter card for Microchip
Contact us for information on all-weather enclosures
Technology’s PICDEM-Z ZigBee
development kit
p1 26-Jan-07 EasyBee DS480-13 © FlexiPanel Ltd Patents may apply and/or pending www.FlexiPanel.com
Contents
Summary...................................................................1
Electronic ..................................................................2
Regulatory.................................................................3
Radio Frequency.......................................................4
Mechanical ................................................................4
Bibliography...............................................................5
Drawing .....................................................................6
Reference..................................................................7
Electronic
Pin Connections
Pin
Number
1,2,3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16,17,18
1. Refer to CC2420 documentation for further details of these pin function. (See bibliography)
2. In early revisions of this board, the CCA pad is not connected on the underside. If this pad is required in surface mount
applications, connection shall have to be manually reworked from the top pad. This affects boards which do not have ‘Rev D’
or higher marked on them.
Pin
Name
Gnd
SCK
SO
Resetn
SFD
CCA
FIFOP
Gnd
CSn
FIFO
VregEn
SI
DVdd
Gnd
Description (note 1)
Power supply ground reference and ground plane connection
SPI clock input, up to 10 MHz
SPI slave output. Updated on the negative edge of SCLK. Tristate when CSn high.
Asynchronous, active low digital reset
SFD (Start of Frame Delimiter)
CCA (Clear Channel Assessment) (Note 2)
High when number of bytes in FIFO exceeds threshold
Power supply ground reference and ground plane connection
SPI chip select, active low
High when data in FIFO
Voltage regulator enable, active high, held at DVdd voltage level when active
SPI Slave Input. Sampled on the positive edge of SCLK
Power supply input 2.1V – 3.6V
Power supply ground reference and ground plane connection
Table 1. Pin descriptions for EasyBee
p2 26-Jan-07 EasyBee DS480-13 © FlexiPanel Ltd Patents may apply and/or pending www.FlexiPanel.com
Functional Block Diagram
Gnd
SCK
SO
Resetn
SFD
CCA
FIFOP
CSn
FIFO
VRegEn
SI
DVdd DVdd
Gnd
SCK
SO
Resetn
SFD
CCA
FIFOP
CSn
FIFO
VRegEn
SI
Figure 2. EasyBee Functional Block Diagram
Circuit Description
The functional block diagram in figure 2 summarizes the
electrical EasyBee module. The actual circuit closely
follows the reference design specified by ChipCon AS
for single ended operation with discrete balun. (See
bibliography.) Actual component choices may differ.
The module is also electrically identical to the PICDEM
Z radio board supplied by Microchip Technology Inc.
The main difference is the smaller size.
CC2420
IEEE 802.15.4
transceiver
16MHz
Internal
antenna
Balun
OEMs wanting to use EasyBee with other baseband
microcontrollers should use ZigBee stack software
which is designed for interfacing to the CC2420 chip.
An example is Figure8’s ZigBee Stack
(www.figure8wireless.com), which has a development
kit is available.
Circuit diagnosis is much aided through the use of a
packet sniffer such as Pixie Sniffer. Pixie Sniffer is
freely available from FlexiPanel Ltd for use with Pixie
modules and PIXDEM-Z.
If the device being designed is to be battery powered,
Regulatory
aim to use lithium batteries rather than alkaline since
they generally have much better ageing characteristics
and reduced voltage decline over their lifetime.
Interfacing to the RF module
Refer to ChipCon’s documentation for information on
EMI ratings
EasyBee has been independently tested for FCC, CE
and IC (Industry Canada) compliance.
FCC compliance requires us to state the following:
how to interface to the CC2420 module. Most ZigBee
stack firmware also details how to communicate with the
CC2420 using the SPI port.
Development Kits
OEMs intending to use EasyBee with Microchip PIC
microcontrollers can use the PICDEM Z ZigBee
development kit available from Microchip Technology.
1. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Microchip also provide a free ZigBee stack. The
EasyBee DEMO
version of the module is designed to
plug directly into the PICDEM Z motherboard. Migration
to EasyBee simply requires choosing an appropriate
PIC microcontroller for the application.
p3 26-Jan-07 EasyBee DS480-13 © FlexiPanel Ltd Patents may apply and/or pending www.FlexiPanel.com
2. OEM products incorporating EasyBee must
include an external label containing the
following text legible to the naked eye:
Contains Transmitter Module
FCC ID:UGAZBMR10
Changes or modifications to the module may
3.
void its certification.
Table 2. Attenuation of typical bulk materials
Material Reduces range by factor of
Reinforced concrete floor 30
Brick wall with window 1.25
Office wall 2
Metal cabinet 3
5mm potting compound 2 - 3
Vegetation 1.25 per meter
Compact materials, e.g. humans, have an complex effect,
In general attenuating most noticeably when closest to the antenna.
OUI number / MAC address
All IEEE 802.15.4 devices such as EasyBee must use a
unique 8-byte MAC address. The first 3 bytes (the ‘OUI’
number) are licensed to a company by IEEE for an
annual fee. The licensee is then free to uniquely assign
the remaining 5 bytes.
FlexiPanel Ltd can provide MAC addresses under its
OUI license for the transceivers it manufactures. OEMs
therefore do not need to apply for an OUI number.
FlexiPanel Ltd’s OUI number is 00-15-C8.
For R&D purposes (i.e. in the lab or classroom), the
following MAC addresses may be used:
00:15:C8:38:41:00:00:00 to 00:15:C8:38:41:00:FF:FF
For commercial purposes, contact FlexiPanel Ltd or
your distributor for an allocation of MAC addresses.
Radio Frequency
Optimizing RF Performance
The integral antenna supplied with Pixie is a modified
quarter wave F antenna with efficiency of approximately
70%. This is comparable to a dipole and about as high
as physically possible. Its radiation pattern is
approximately omnidirectional.
Free space range is approximately 120m. In-building
ranges of 20m to 40m would normally be expected.
The enclosure employed may affect antenna
performance. Avoid the use of metal enclosures. Gray
and black plastics should be used with caution. They
often contain carbon, which degrades performance
considerably. To test for the presence of carbon, heat
the plastic in a microwave oven for one minute. If it
melts, it probably contains carbon.
Mechanical
PCB Layout
For PCB pad layout, refer to the engineering drawing on
page 6. Note how the pads on the main board protrude
out from beneath the module. This provides a point to
apply heat when manually soldering and also for
continuity testing. In addition, the size of the pad
ensures a large reservoir of solder is available to the
actual contact area.
Soldering
If soldered using a reflow oven, the surface mount
module may be treated like a BGA package. The
quality of the joint may be tested by checking for
continuity between the pad on the upper side of the
board and the protruding part of the pad on the main
board.
The recommended reflow profile is shown in figure 3.
Small increases in temperature (no larger than 15ºC)
may be needed depending on the density of the main
board. The module should be reflowed one time only.
Figure 3. Recommended reflow profile
300
250
200
150
100
50
Temperature, Celsius
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Time, Seconds
A high location is recommended, particularly for
If soldering manually, use the following procedure:
avoiding interference from transient objects such as
passers-by and their cellphones. Microwave ovens are
particularly problematic for the short periods in which
they and operational. Where possible, orient all the
antennas in the same direction so that their
1. Tin the contact pads on the module, trying to get
more or less the same amount of solder on each.
Work on a soft surface so that the components on
the topside are not damaged.
polarizations are the same. In a mesh network, a highly
attenuating medium such as a floor may be bridged by
2. Tin contact pads on main board.
placing two routers close to each other, one on either
side of the barrier.
p4 26-Jan-07 EasyBee DS480-13 © FlexiPanel Ltd Patents may apply and/or pending www.FlexiPanel.com
3. Place the module in position on the main board.
4. Starting with the pads most likely to be in physical
contact, apply heat with a soldering iron to the
exposed part of the main board pads. Abut the iron
against the edge of the module so that the heat is
transmitted to the contact area of the pads. After
10-15 seconds, remove heat. Around 90% of pads
should be successfully soldered.
5. Test for continuity between the pad on the upper
side of the board and the protruding part of the pad
on the main board.
6. Rework non-conducting contacts by applying heat
again and a little extra solder.
Location on main board
The module should be located so that the antenna abuts
the edge of the board or overhangs it. It should be
placed so that it is unlikely that interfering items such as
metal, water, cellphones, body tissue, etc, can come
into close proximity.
It is recommended that tracks and components are not
placed in PCB layers below the module. However, if
space limitations require it, leave the surface in contact
with the module uncoppered and place a gr ounded fill in
the layer immediately below. Any vias that might come
in contact with the module should be completely
covered with resist to avoid shorting to vias on the
module. The main board should contain as much
grounded copper fill as possible in order to reduce
circuit noise.
PICDEM Z User Guide, downloadable from
www.microchip.com.
AN965 Microchip Stack for the ZigBee Protocol,
application note, downloadable from
www.microchip.com.
Microchip Stack for ZigBee Protocol, supplementary
notes included with the Microchip Stack for ZigBee
firmware downloadable from www.microchip.com.
Enclosures
Metal enclosures are not recommended for attenuation
reasons. If one must be used, aim to put as many holes
in it as possible at least 3cm long.
For mains isolation and intrinsic safety applications,
potting in a shallow layer of clear potting compound is
recommended. A 5mm layer of potting compound (RS
Components p/n 199-1468) has been measured to
attenuate the signal by approximately 3dB. LEDs can
be clearly seen through the potting compound and bind
switches, etc, can be implemented using reed switches.
For all-weather and external mounting applications,
contact us for a range of ‘puck’ module enclosures.
Bibliography
CC2420 Data Sheet, downloadable from
www.chipcon.com.
ZigBee for Applications Developers, white paper
downloadable from www.flexipanel.com.
Pixie Data Sheet, downloadable from
www.flexipanel.com.
p5 26-Jan-07 EasyBee DS480-13 © FlexiPanel Ltd Patents may apply and/or pending www.FlexiPanel.com
12345
www.flexipanel.com
FlexiPanel
10 May 06
DRWG-ZBMr10
Drawing
Date
R G Hoptroff
Drawn by
Description
tranceiver module (rev 10)
EasyBee IEEE 802.15.4
1. Dimensions in mm
Notes
as possible, preferably overhanging the
2. Module height 3.6mm
3. Keep antenna side as free of components
on the main board, but none on top layer
edge of the main board
below EasyBee module
4. Pour as much grounded copper as possible
6. Design is final. FCC, IC and CE compliant
5. If pins fitted, pin pitch is 20.32mm
0 10mm 20mm 30mm
ZBMr10
FlexiPanel
z
x
www.flexipanel.com
1234567
y
1234567
12345
Reference
Electrical
Supply Voltage (regulated) Vcc 2.1V to 3.6V
Power requirement, transmit 18mA
Power requirement, receive 20mA
Radio Frequency
Mechanical
For more information electrical specifications, consult the CC2420 data sheet. (See bibliography.)
Max RF output power 1mW = 0dBm
RF frequency range 2400MHz to 2485MHz
Communications protocol IEEE 802.15.4 (DSSS O-QPSK chip encoding)
Raw data rate 250kbit/s
RF channels 16
Free space range with integral antenna Approx 120m
Max operating/storage temperature
Pixie Lite Dimensions L×W×H mm 43.5 × 19.75 x 3.1 (excluding DIL pins)
-40ºC to +85 ºC
Regulatory
FCC compliance Testing complete, awaiting certificate
CE compliance Testing complete, awaiting certificate
IC (Industry Canada) compliance Testing complete, awaiting certificate
FCC external labeling requirement
“Contains Transmitter Module FCC ID:UGAZBMR10”
Manufacturer Contact Details
EasyBee is assembled and distributed by agreement by RF Solutions Ltd:
R F Solutions Ltd
Unit 21, Cliffe Industrial Estate,
Lewes, E. Sussex, BN8 6JL, United Kingdom
www.rfsolutions.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1273 898 000, Fax: +44 (0)1273 480 661
email: sales@rfsolutions.co.uk
Developer Contact Details
EasyBee is designed and owned by FlexiPanel Ltd:
FlexiPanel Ltd
2 Marshall St, 3rd Floor,
London W1F 9BB, United Kingdom
email: support@flexipanel.com
FlexiPanel
www.flexipanel.com
p7 26-Jan-07 EasyBee DS480-13 © FlexiPanel Ltd Patents may apply and/or pending www.FlexiPanel.com
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