Zigbee compatibility

[saqib_zahir]

Hi

Need assistence to know whether labview is able to send information to a zigbee module?

Simple example of what I want to do:

1) I want to connect something to the PC, so that the device can transmit a signal, which is triggered when a specific action occurs in labview 
(through a USB Zigbee adapter)
2) This signal is then recieved by a person within 30m that wears a digital watch ( which has a manually inserted zigbee chip with an integrated antena)
3) Upon receiving the signal, the watch will turn on say an LED.

On the internet I found this:

XBee 802.15.4 module and XBee 802.15.4 USB adapter.

from  http://www.digi.com/support/productdetl.jsp?pid=3130&osvid=0&s=358&tp=3&tp2=0

Can anyone with networking knowledge guide me here. I think the XBee 802.15.4 is automatically programmed and will work, but I dont know if labview is able to send a logic 1 signal, wireless through zigbee, to turn on an led in the watch.

Would I require any other device to interface with labview. Will it all be compatible?

I hope it makes sense, if not please ask me for more information.

Thank you

Saqib

[Aaron_E]

Hi Saqib,

I have not seen your particular application before however we have many customers who use Zigbe and interface it with LabVIEW. Please find a selection of resources below which will hopefully help you in producing your application.

Implementation of a Net Modbus using Technology Zigbee(Xbee-Pro  900), Microchip , OPC Server and  L...

Connecting labview to xbee

Xbee 802.15.4 RF Modules and LabVIEW commands..

comunication with xbee using labview

Xbee using labview?

Hopefully you will find some of the information within the above links useful. Please let me know how you get on.

Many Thanks,

[Aaron_E]

Hi Saqib,

Hope you are well. Just wanted to check if you have had a chance to look at the resources I sent you and if these were useful in your application.

If you want more information on a specific aspect of your Zigbee integration then please let me know.

Many Thanks,

Aaron

[saqib_zahir]

Thanks for your reply.

Actually I haven't had time to read this yet because I have been working on another section of my project using labview. I am still heavily interested and will get back to you soon, once things calm a little down with the work load I have at the moment.

I think off the top of my head I will need to select a specific microcontroller in conjunction with the ZigBee modules.

The basic idea I have is that the microcontroller will read the state of the zigbee module. When it finds thatthe two zigbees are communicating - i will simply require to turn on an indicator like an LED or a buzzer for instance.

It looks like Labview can handle wireless communication with XBee but I need to confirm I can read the state of that particular zigbee receiver before I program.

ANnywyas I will get back to you soon though

Saqib

[saqib_zahir]

Thank you for your patience.

Well I have had a scan at the links you have provided and they are good, which is why I gave you a Kudos.

However :

1) There appears to be a zip file which contains Labview code to do some ZigBee communcation. I looked at it, and I did not appreciate why there were 7 files and of which VIs concerns me. Do we need all those seven VIs? I am also not sure from a higher levels perspective, how the communcation happens using these files. Mind if someone can help comment on what these VIs do, and how I can utilise these for my simple application?

2) I found the perfect example of what I want to do actually:
http://www.pyroelectro.com/tutorials/wireless_interface_rf_modules/

This guy has successfully communicated two ZigBee modules without a PC involved. I also want to do exactly the same thing except for one tweek:

a) Connect the ZigBee transmitter to the PC to interface with Labview to control functions on the receiving end. i.e. say on PC I want to light an LED, then I click a button on the PC and the receiver end will light that LED. This person has instead used the transmitter side which is controlled via a microcontroller preprogrammed.

What I also want from you experts is advise on whether this ZigBee module I suggested (XBee ...) and its components like a microcontroller and LAbview is enough to perform this section of my project? I dont want to spend money and find out that what I brought is not correct or that I need other things...SO what do you guys suggest and feel on this?

I also now apprecate that the XBee uses the "AT Commands" something I have never heard of before. How can I use this language with Labview?

I have more questions but I think covering these first will clarify some key points

Thank you

Saqib

[Aaron_E]

Hi Saqib,

Sorry for my late reply. Hope you are well and I'm glad you found the examples useful. There are three esential files contained within that zip file. Firstly the Enter-AT0Cmd-Mode.vi which allows you to setup all the settings for sending AT commands. then  AT_SetCmd.vi, ro send command and then  AT_GetCmd.vi to recieve the data.

I personally have not experienced using LabVIEW for connecting with ZigBee although I know the XBee is a popular module for doing this. You need a suitable interface to do this. I think a good way to comunicate with the XBee module would be through Arduino micro controller. With this I think you will have sufficient resources for your project. 

Sorry for my vague answer but XBee is not an area I know that well.

Many Thanks,

[saqib_zahir]

Thanks for your reply.

I will consider what you say, will have a look at the websites I found. At the moment my project work has slowed down due to major assignments and revision of course. I will inform you how I do, and you might not hear from me for a while now.

[saqib_zahir]

HI

I think I am going to ignore XBee for now because it is expensive and know there are much cheaper ways to implement what I simply want to do. Besides I prefere writing in C laguage as opposed to spending time to learn the new AT commands for XBee etc,

In short, I just need to know one thing from you guys.

You know like in labview we can drag and drop controls onto the frontpanel and use this in programs to control stuff.

Well is there any way of using that control to ouput the logic signal to the real world?

E.g.

Via Labview I press switch on. So I now want A logic one to be sent out of the computer on to some hardware. Hence, from this hardware I can wire it to a Microcontroller to begin transmitting. Also, if I from PC click on turn off, the logic zero will be sent to that hardware inorder to stop communication

I hope this request makes sense, if not please tell me.

If you can tell me any possible way to get this output signal from Labview (ether logic 1 or 0) I will know exactly what to build!

Thanks

SAqib

[Hornless.Rhino]

You can output data via serial easy enough. This could then be picked up and used by a microcontroller. It wouldn't really be a logic 1 or 0 though.

You'd need to decide how you want to connect the microcontroller to the PC to transmit the serial data though, whether it be wired or wireless.

As an aside, XBee works great with LabVIEW (some modules can just pass straight serial data), you still need a microcontroller or something to decode it though.

This doesn't answer your question about logic 1 and logic 0 though, someone else will need to answer that.

[saqib_zahir]

Really appreciate your response. I will consider everybodies thoughts, and post up my response soon.

Thanks

Saqib