User's Manual

Zigbit
™
Module Overview
ZigBit™ 2.4 GHz Wireless Modules 2-6
8226C–MCU Wireless–09/10
ZigBit modules comply with the FCC (Part 15), IC and ETSI (CE) rules applicable to the devices radiat-
ing in uncontrolled environment. For details, see “Agency Certifications” on page 4-22.
ZigBit fully satisfies the requirements of the “Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and the
Council of 27January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and
electronic equipment” (RoHS). Atmel provides fully compliant product in all regions where the directive is
enforced since July 1, 2006.
ZigBit contains Atmel’s ATmega1281V Microcontroller [1] and AT86RF230 RF Transceiver [2]. The mod-
ule features 128 Kbytes flash memory and 8 Kbytes RAM.
The ZigBit already contains a complete RF/MCU-related design with all the necessary passive compo-
nents included. The module can be easily mounted on a simple 2-layer PCB. Compared to a custom
RF/MCU design, a module-based solution offers considerable savings in development time and NRE
cost per unit during the design, prototyping, and mass production phases of product development.
Innovative (patent-pending) dual chip antenna design in ATZB-24-A2 module eliminates the balun and
achieves good performance over 2.4 GHz frequency band.
To jumpstart evaluation and development, Atmel also offers a complete set of evaluation and develop-
ment tools. The ZigBit Development Kit [6] (ATZB-DK-24) comes with everything you need to create
custom applications featuring ZigBit module.
The kit features MeshBean development boards with an easy-to-access extension connector for attach-
ing third party sensors and other peripherals, and a JTAG connector for easy application uploading and
debugging.
The kit also includes reference applications to speed up application development, source code for hard-
ware interface layer and reference drivers for the all the module interfaces, intuitive development
environment from Atmel, and comprehensive set of application notes and product documentation.
ZigBit modules comes bundled with BitCloud, a 2
nd
generation embedded software stack from Atmel.
BitCloud is fully compliant with ZigBee PRO and ZigBee standards for wireless sensing and control [3],
[4], [5] and it provides an augmented set of APIs which, while maintaining 100% compliance with the
standard, offer extended functionality designed with developer's convenience and ease-of-use in mind.
Depending on end-user design requirements, ZigBit can operate as a self-contained sensor node, where
it would function as a single MCU, or it can be paired with a host processor driving the module over a
serial interface. In the former case, a user application may be used with the BitCloud software allowing
customization of embedded applications through BitCloud’s C API.
In the latter case, the host processor controls data transmission and manages module peripherals via an
extensive set of SerialNet AT commands. Thus, no firmware customization is required for a successful
module design-in. Additionally, third-party sensors can be connected directly to the module, thus
expanding the existing set of peripheral interfaces.