The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop. Retailers have had to scale quickly to move shopping experiences online and keep customers safe, while still providing fast, convenient customer service. Leading retail technology and omnichannel expert and  regular contributor to Forbes, Chris Walton, joined Loïc Oumier, Head of Operational & Digital Marketing and Communications at SES-imagotag, and Ross Sabolcik, VP and GM of Industrial and Commercial IoT Products at Silicon Labs for a webinar about how retailers are leveraging wireless technologies already well-established in the industrial space to deliver innovative and engaging customer experiences. Three key takeaways from the webinar are below.

#1: Physical stores must digitize.

Even though retailers are moving online, Chris explains that customers still want to be offered in-store experiences. To meet today's customer demands, retailers must transform their physical stores into true digital assets. Digitization provides multiple benefits to both customers and retailers, including the following:

• Improved visibility around stock inventory
• Asset tracking and location services
• Faster checkout times
• Online ordering combined with curbside or same-day delivery options

Additionally, digitization brings all the advantages of e-commerce to the in-store experience, such as access to customer product ratings and reviews and accurate pricing and specification information. None of these options are available with paper label systems. By re-imagining the physical store as a blended solution of online and in-store services, retailers can provide customers with faster, safer and more convenient shopping experiences.

#2: Wireless IoT systems must be multi-value.

When deploying wireless IoT systems in retail, multi-value propositions are crucial. The cost of installing and maintaining a wireless infrastructure can be significant, so the infrastructure must be flexible and able to deploy multiple devices from one platform. Additionally, wireless systems should have more than one use case, benefitting the consumers coming into the store and enabling retail operators to be more efficient.

Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are an example of a multi-value, multi-use wireless IoT system. ESLs offer all-around-the-store efficiency by providing customers with accurate pricing information and retailers with data capturing and asset tracking services. One of the greatest benefits of an ESL software system is its scalability. All the features of an ESL software system's services, beyond simple price display, can be enabled at a future time without adding infrastructure costs. Retailers should consider what type of capabilities they might want to unlock from a wireless system in the future and whether these features can be deployed from the same platform.

#3: A great customer experience is the omnichannel strategy bottom line.

"Omnichannel" is no longer just a technical term -- it's about customer service. The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to make the shopping experience safer, more efficient and convenient for the customer, and smart technology makes all of this possible. With interconnected, smart retail systems in place, customers can choose how they want to interact with retailers, whenever and wherever they want.

Cloud commerce, data capture, and location analytics are the foundational components of an effective omnichannel strategy. By seamlessly combining these smart retail systems in holistic ways, retailers can deploy blended solutions that capture and analyze relevant data to anticipate customer needs and meet those demands.

We're Here to Help

As a leading provider of IoT technology, we are uniquely qualified to offer smart retail solutions. Watch the on-demand webinar here and learn more about our smart retail offerings by visiting our website.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop. Retailers have had to scale quickly to move shopping experiences online and keep customers safe, while still providing fast, convenient customer service. Leading retail technology and omnichannel expert and  regular contributor to Forbes, Chris Walton, joined Loïc Oumier, Head of Operational & Digital Marketing and Communications at SES-imagotag, and Ross Sabolcik, VP and GM of Industrial and Commercial IoT Products at Silicon Labs for a webinar about how retailers are leveraging wireless technologies already well-established in the industrial space to deliver innovative and engaging customer experiences. Three key takeaways from the webinar are below.

#1: Physical stores must digitize.

Even though retailers are moving online, Chris explains that customers still want to be offered in-store experiences. To meet today's customer demands, retailers must transform their physical stores into true digital assets. Digitization provides multiple benefits to both customers and retailers, including the following:

• Improved visibility around stock inventory
• Asset tracking and location services
• Faster checkout times
• Online ordering combined with curbside or same-day delivery options

Additionally, digitization brings all the advantages of e-commerce to the in-store experience, such as access to customer product ratings and reviews and accurate pricing and specification information. None of these options are available with paper label systems. By re-imagining the physical store as a blended solution of online and in-store services, retailers can provide customers with faster, safer and more convenient shopping experiences.

#2: Wireless IoT systems must be multi-value.

When deploying wireless IoT systems in retail, multi-value propositions are crucial. The cost of installing and maintaining a wireless infrastructure can be significant, so the infrastructure must be flexible and able to deploy multiple devices from one platform. Additionally, wireless systems should have more than one use case, benefitting the consumers coming into the store and enabling retail operators to be more efficient.

Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are an example of a multi-value, multi-use wireless IoT system. ESLs offer all-around-the-store efficiency by providing customers with accurate pricing information and retailers with data capturing and asset tracking services. One of the greatest benefits of an ESL software system is its scalability. All the features of an ESL software system's services, beyond simple price display, can be enabled at a future time without adding infrastructure costs. Retailers should consider what type of capabilities they might want to unlock from a wireless system in the future and whether these features can be deployed from the same platform.

#3: A great customer experience is the omnichannel strategy bottom line.

"Omnichannel" is no longer just a technical term -- it's about customer service. The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to make the shopping experience safer, more efficient and convenient for the customer, and smart technology makes all of this possible. With interconnected, smart retail systems in place, customers can choose how they want to interact with retailers, whenever and wherever they want.

Cloud commerce, data capture, and location analytics are the foundational components of an effective omnichannel strategy. By seamlessly combining these smart retail systems in holistic ways, retailers can deploy blended solutions that capture and analyze relevant data to anticipate customer needs and meet those demands.

We're Here to Help

As a leading provider of IoT technology, we are uniquely qualified to offer smart retail solutions. Watch the on-demand webinar here and learn more about our smart retail offerings by visiting our website.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop. Retailers have had to scale quickly to move shopping experiences online and keep customers safe, while still providing fast, convenient customer service. Leading retail technology and omnichannel expert and  regular contributor to Forbes, Chris Walton, joined Loïc Oumier, Head of Operational & Digital Marketing and Communications at SES-imagotag, and Ross Sabolcik, VP and GM of Industrial and Commercial IoT Products at Silicon Labs for a webinar about how retailers are leveraging wireless technologies already well-established in the industrial space to deliver innovative and engaging customer experiences. Three key takeaways from the webinar are below.

#1: Physical stores must digitize.

Even though retailers are moving online, Chris explains that customers still want to be offered in-store experiences. To meet today's customer demands, retailers must transform their physical stores into true digital assets. Digitization provides multiple benefits to both customers and retailers, including the following:

• Improved visibility around stock inventory
• Asset tracking and location services
• Faster checkout times
• Online ordering combined with curbside or same-day delivery options

Additionally, digitization brings all the advantages of e-commerce to the in-store experience, such as access to customer product ratings and reviews and accurate pricing and specification information. None of these options are available with paper label systems. By re-imagining the physical store as a blended solution of online and in-store services, retailers can provide customers with faster, safer and more convenient shopping experiences.

#2: Wireless IoT systems must be multi-value.

When deploying wireless IoT systems in retail, multi-value propositions are crucial. The cost of installing and maintaining a wireless infrastructure can be significant, so the infrastructure must be flexible and able to deploy multiple devices from one platform. Additionally, wireless systems should have more than one use case, benefitting the consumers coming into the store and enabling retail operators to be more efficient.

Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are an example of a multi-value, multi-use wireless IoT system. ESLs offer all-around-the-store efficiency by providing customers with accurate pricing information and retailers with data capturing and asset tracking services. One of the greatest benefits of an ESL software system is its scalability. All the features of an ESL software system's services, beyond simple price display, can be enabled at a future time without adding infrastructure costs. Retailers should consider what type of capabilities they might want to unlock from a wireless system in the future and whether these features can be deployed from the same platform.

#3: A great customer experience is the omnichannel strategy bottom line.

"Omnichannel" is no longer just a technical term -- it's about customer service. The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to make the shopping experience safer, more efficient and convenient for the customer, and smart technology makes all of this possible. With interconnected, smart retail systems in place, customers can choose how they want to interact with retailers, whenever and wherever they want.

Cloud commerce, data capture, and location analytics are the foundational components of an effective omnichannel strategy. By seamlessly combining these smart retail systems in holistic ways, retailers can deploy blended solutions that capture and analyze relevant data to anticipate customer needs and meet those demands.

We're Here to Help

As a leading provider of IoT technology, we are uniquely qualified to offer smart retail solutions. Watch the on-demand webinar here and learn more about our smart retail offerings by visiting our website.

Silicon Labs' groundbreaking Works With event, held virtually September 9 -10, 2020, included more than 6,000 registrants and featured presentations, live demos, and technical tracks from leaders in the smart home industry.

In the Amazon Technical Track: Introduction and Certification session, lead engineers from Amazon's smart home team, Chris DeCenzo, Erwan Le Roy, and Ramez Abulazm, described five of the most common smart home challenges faced by consumers and developers. In creating innovative solutions to these challenges, Amazon's Works With Alexa (WWA) program discovered the following best practices for developing smart home devices.

1. Establish customer trust: Customers want their devices to work reliably and securely. To address these concerns, Amazon's Alexa program became an early adopter of the Zigbee Alliance All Hubs Initiative requirements. The All Hubs Initiative, a group within the Zigbee Alliance and comprised of leading IoT companies, sought to consolidate requirements among the different smart home system companies with the goal of reducing the number of certification programs and firmware images for device makers. The group performed a thorough survey of gaps across security, reliability, and resiliency, and came up with a set of over 150 requirements or features that are now standardized. The results of these standardizations are better security, reliability, and interoperability, providing customers with peace of mind for their most significant concerns.
2. Create "Frustration-Free Setup" experiences: Traditionally, the smart home setup has been confusing and frustrating, with multiple connection attempts and high failure rates. To alleviate these challenges, Amazon developed the "Frustration-Free Setup" (FFS) program, making setup easy and automatic. By leveraging Amazon's FFS technology, smart device manufacturers can create products that connect automatically at the first plugin, resulting in a setup process that just works.
3. Reduce development cost: Today's smart home devices contain numerous standard features such as logs, metrics, over-the-air updates, remote control from the cloud, and integration with systems like Alexa. Typically, developers have to integrate multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) to implement these features, which involves many engineering resources and adds time to market. To simplify adding the Amazon SDK to smart home devices, Amazon has packaged the software built for Alexa products and made it available to device makers. This software, called "Amazon Common Software (ACS)", is a pre-validated, pre-certified component that makes it easier for developers to integrate SDK building blocks. ACS allows engineers to focus on innovation, rather than integration and debugging, thus reducing development costs and speeding time to market.
4. Expand interaction models: Smart home device makers today have the ability to make products that are more immersive and interactive than ever before. With Alexa Gadgets, smart home manufacturers can create new kinds of smart home devices and unique creative experiences for customers. Alexa Gadgets are interactive, Bluetooth-connected companion devices that work with Echo devices. Amazon's WWA program offers a range of tools and resources to make it easy to get started with Alexa Gadgets, including technical documentation and sample code.
5. Increase compatibility among smart home connected devices: Compatibility with existing devices and ecosystems is one of the most significant contributors to point-of-sale confusion for customers. With Amazon's Works With Alexa program, smart home device makers can use standard interfaces for everyday devices such as lightbulbs and door locks, or custom interfaces for less common devices such as coffee machines. Additionally, Amazon's certification programs, Alexa Built-in Badge, Works With Alexa Badge, and Certified for Humans designation, ensure customers that new devices will have better responsiveness, reliability, and functionality with their existing Alexa products.

Silicon Labs' groundbreaking Works With event, held virtually September 9 -10, 2020, included more than 6,000 registrants and featured presentations, live demos, and technical tracks from leaders in the smart home industry.

In the Amazon Technical Track: Introduction and Certification session, lead engineers from Amazon's smart home team, Chris DeCenzo, Erwan Le Roy, and Ramez Abulazm, described five of the most common smart home challenges faced by consumers and developers. In creating innovative solutions to these challenges, Amazon's Works With Alexa (WWA) program discovered the following best practices for developing smart home devices.

1. Establish customer trust: Customers want their devices to work reliably and securely. To address these concerns, Amazon's Alexa program became an early adopter of the Zigbee Alliance All Hubs Initiative requirements. The All Hubs Initiative, a group within the Zigbee Alliance and comprised of leading IoT companies, sought to consolidate requirements among the different smart home system companies with the goal of reducing the number of certification programs and firmware images for device makers. The group performed a thorough survey of gaps across security, reliability, and resiliency, and came up with a set of over 150 requirements or features that are now standardized. The results of these standardizations are better security, reliability, and interoperability, providing customers with peace of mind for their most significant concerns.
2. Create "Frustration-Free Setup" experiences: Traditionally, the smart home setup has been confusing and frustrating, with multiple connection attempts and high failure rates. To alleviate these challenges, Amazon developed the "Frustration-Free Setup" (FFS) program, making setup easy and automatic. By leveraging Amazon's FFS technology, smart device manufacturers can create products that connect automatically at the first plugin, resulting in a setup process that just works.
3. Reduce development cost: Today's smart home devices contain numerous standard features such as logs, metrics, over-the-air updates, remote control from the cloud, and integration with systems like Alexa. Typically, developers have to integrate multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) to implement these features, which involves many engineering resources and adds time to market. To simplify adding the Amazon SDK to smart home devices, Amazon has packaged the software built for Alexa products and made it available to device makers. This software, called "Amazon Common Software (ACS)", is a pre-validated, pre-certified component that makes it easier for developers to integrate SDK building blocks. ACS allows engineers to focus on innovation, rather than integration and debugging, thus reducing development costs and speeding time to market.
4. Expand interaction models: Smart home device makers today have the ability to make products that are more immersive and interactive than ever before. With Alexa Gadgets, smart home manufacturers can create new kinds of smart home devices and unique creative experiences for customers. Alexa Gadgets are interactive, Bluetooth-connected companion devices that work with Echo devices. Amazon's WWA program offers a range of tools and resources to make it easy to get started with Alexa Gadgets, including technical documentation and sample code.
5. Increase compatibility among smart home connected devices: Compatibility with existing devices and ecosystems is one of the most significant contributors to point-of-sale confusion for customers. With Amazon's Works With Alexa program, smart home device makers can use standard interfaces for everyday devices such as lightbulbs and door locks, or custom interfaces for less common devices such as coffee machines. Additionally, Amazon's certification programs, Alexa Built-in Badge, Works With Alexa Badge, and Certified for Humans designation, ensure customers that new devices will have better responsiveness, reliability, and functionality with their existing Alexa products.

Silicon Labs' groundbreaking Works With event, held virtually September 9 -10, 2020, included more than 6,000 registrants and featured presentations, live demos, and technical tracks from leaders in the smart home industry.

In the Amazon Technical Track: Introduction and Certification session, lead engineers from Amazon's smart home team, Chris DeCenzo, Erwan Le Roy, and Ramez Abulazm, described five of the most common smart home challenges faced by consumers and developers. In creating innovative solutions to these challenges, Amazon's Works With Alexa (WWA) program discovered the following best practices for developing smart home devices.

1. Establish customer trust: Customers want their devices to work reliably and securely. To address these concerns, Amazon's Alexa program became an early adopter of the Zigbee Alliance All Hubs Initiative requirements. The All Hubs Initiative, a group within the Zigbee Alliance and comprised of leading IoT companies, sought to consolidate requirements among the different smart home system companies with the goal of reducing the number of certification programs and firmware images for device makers. The group performed a thorough survey of gaps across security, reliability, and resiliency, and came up with a set of over 150 requirements or features that are now standardized. The results of these standardizations are better security, reliability, and interoperability, providing customers with peace of mind for their most significant concerns.
2. Create "Frustration-Free Setup" experiences: Traditionally, the smart home setup has been confusing and frustrating, with multiple connection attempts and high failure rates. To alleviate these challenges, Amazon developed the "Frustration-Free Setup" (FFS) program, making setup easy and automatic. By leveraging Amazon's FFS technology, smart device manufacturers can create products that connect automatically at the first plugin, resulting in a setup process that just works.
3. Reduce development cost: Today's smart home devices contain numerous standard features such as logs, metrics, over-the-air updates, remote control from the cloud, and integration with systems like Alexa. Typically, developers have to integrate multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) to implement these features, which involves many engineering resources and adds time to market. To simplify adding the Amazon SDK to smart home devices, Amazon has packaged the software built for Alexa products and made it available to device makers. This software, called "Amazon Common Software (ACS)", is a pre-validated, pre-certified component that makes it easier for developers to integrate SDK building blocks. ACS allows engineers to focus on innovation, rather than integration and debugging, thus reducing development costs and speeding time to market.
4. Expand interaction models: Smart home device makers today have the ability to make products that are more immersive and interactive than ever before. With Alexa Gadgets, smart home manufacturers can create new kinds of smart home devices and unique creative experiences for customers. Alexa Gadgets are interactive, Bluetooth-connected companion devices that work with Echo devices. Amazon's WWA program offers a range of tools and resources to make it easy to get started with Alexa Gadgets, including technical documentation and sample code.
5. Increase compatibility among smart home connected devices: Compatibility with existing devices and ecosystems is one of the most significant contributors to point-of-sale confusion for customers. With Amazon's Works With Alexa program, smart home device makers can use standard interfaces for everyday devices such as lightbulbs and door locks, or custom interfaces for less common devices such as coffee machines. Additionally, Amazon's certification programs, Alexa Built-in Badge, Works With Alexa Badge, and Certified for Humans designation, ensure customers that new devices will have better responsiveness, reliability, and functionality with their existing Alexa products.

Silicon Labs' groundbreaking Works With event, held virtually September 9 -10, 2020, included more than 6,000 registrants and featured presentations, live demos, and technical tracks from leaders in the smart home industry.

In the Amazon Technical Track: Introduction and Certification session, lead engineers from Amazon's smart home team, Chris DeCenzo, Erwan Le Roy, and Ramez Abulazm, described five of the most common smart home challenges faced by consumers and developers. In creating innovative solutions to these challenges, Amazon's Works With Alexa (WWA) program discovered the following best practices for developing smart home devices.

1. Establish customer trust: Customers want their devices to work reliably and securely. To address these concerns, Amazon's Alexa program became an early adopter of the Zigbee Alliance All Hubs Initiative requirements. The All Hubs Initiative, a group within the Zigbee Alliance and comprised of leading IoT companies, sought to consolidate requirements among the different smart home system companies with the goal of reducing the number of certification programs and firmware images for device makers. The group performed a thorough survey of gaps across security, reliability, and resiliency, and came up with a set of over 150 requirements or features that are now standardized. The results of these standardizations are better security, reliability, and interoperability, providing customers with peace of mind for their most significant concerns.
2. Create "Frustration-Free Setup" experiences: Traditionally, the smart home setup has been confusing and frustrating, with multiple connection attempts and high failure rates. To alleviate these challenges, Amazon developed the "Frustration-Free Setup" (FFS) program, making setup easy and automatic. By leveraging Amazon's FFS technology, smart device manufacturers can create products that connect automatically at the first plugin, resulting in a setup process that just works.
3. Reduce development cost: Today's smart home devices contain numerous standard features such as logs, metrics, over-the-air updates, remote control from the cloud, and integration with systems like Alexa. Typically, developers have to integrate multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) to implement these features, which involves many engineering resources and adds time to market. To simplify adding the Amazon SDK to smart home devices, Amazon has packaged the software built for Alexa products and made it available to device makers. This software, called "Amazon Common Software (ACS)", is a pre-validated, pre-certified component that makes it easier for developers to integrate SDK building blocks. ACS allows engineers to focus on innovation, rather than integration and debugging, thus reducing development costs and speeding time to market.
4. Expand interaction models: Smart home device makers today have the ability to make products that are more immersive and interactive than ever before. With Alexa Gadgets, smart home manufacturers can create new kinds of smart home devices and unique creative experiences for customers. Alexa Gadgets are interactive, Bluetooth-connected companion devices that work with Echo devices. Amazon's WWA program offers a range of tools and resources to make it easy to get started with Alexa Gadgets, including technical documentation and sample code.
5. Increase compatibility among smart home connected devices: Compatibility with existing devices and ecosystems is one of the most significant contributors to point-of-sale confusion for customers. With Amazon's Works With Alexa program, smart home device makers can use standard interfaces for everyday devices such as lightbulbs and door locks, or custom interfaces for less common devices such as coffee machines. Additionally, Amazon's certification programs, Alexa Built-in Badge, Works With Alexa Badge, and Certified for Humans designation, ensure customers that new devices will have better responsiveness, reliability, and functionality with their existing Alexa products.

In this Tech Talks session, Senior Field Applications Engineer, Carlos Hernandez, describes Z-Wave command class structure and provides reference code examples. Click here to watch the entire session and register now for future Tech Talks. The following is an overview of Carlos’s presentation.

What is Z-Wave?

Z-Wave is a low-power, wireless mesh network communications protocol designed specifically for control, monitoring and status reading applications in residential and light commercial environments.

Z-Wave operates through regional Sub-GHz frequencies, ensuring product interoperability throughout the region. Every product in the Z-Wave ecosystem is interoperable and backward compatible all the way to the first generation.

Any device using Z-Wave must use command class structure, which is the “language of Z-Wave” and is classified in the Z-Wave specification.

Command Class Structure

Z-Wave commands are structured so that the most significant byte is always the “command class”, which is a group of commands that perform a specific function. The next byte is the command itself, such as “Set”, “Get” or “Report”.  The next set of bytes can range in size from 0 to the maximum Z-Wave packet size, which is the payload of 64 minus the header. In the binary switch set command scenario, the third byte is the value itself – either 00 or FF, based on what you want the device to do, such as turn off or on a light.

There are four command class types in the Z-Wave realm:

• Application command class is a group of commands with a specific set of functions. All specific applications have a command class.
• Management command class allows you to control devices in the network and manage the way devices behave.
• Encapsulation command class includes commands that encapsulate other commands containing extra information.
• Network command class allows you to perform network operations such as including and excluding nodes, and preprovisioning nodes into the network.

Most command classes have three types of commands.

• Set command – the first type of command, allows a controller or gateway to set a specific state variable in another device.
• Get command – requests spec info from the device. For example, requests the status of a light. The light will respond with an “On” or “Off”.
• Report command – responds to a Get command type with the state of the variable that was requested. In the example of a light, “On” or “Off”.

For a list of Z-Wave command classes, visit our Z-Wave specification page.

Structure of a Z-Wave End Device

Z-Wave end devices are structured in the following order:

• Bottom layer — Z-Wave module or SoC (currently 700 series)
• Z-Wave Protocol layer —  precompiled in a set of libraries that you can add to your application to enable your protocol stack.
• Building block modules (3) — prewritten, pre-certified C code modules that address 90% of development needs. This is the application framework, or Z-Wave “skeleton code”, that all applications are built on.

The Sample Application and Product Specific Code layer sits on top of the application framework. Applications in this layer are pre-written and have undergone the full Z-Wave certification process. This is the best place to start designing your application. By reusing this sample code in your own application, you can significantly reduce your development time.

Getting Started

The first step to building your application is to order our Z-Wave Wireless Starter Kit (WSTK), which contains everything you need to get your project going, including the following:

• WSTK mainboard
• Radio board
• Buttons and LED expansion boards
• Controller and network sniffer USB sticks

Our Simplicity Studio tools further speed development by providing software examples, demos, sample code and supporting documentation. Using our WSTK, you can develop any Z-Wave application.

For more information on Z-Wave products and development tools, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

In this Tech Talks session, Senior Field Applications Engineer, Carlos Hernandez, describes Z-Wave command class structure and provides reference code examples. Click here to watch the entire session and register now for future Tech Talks. The following is an overview of Carlos’s presentation.

What is Z-Wave?

Z-Wave is a low-power, wireless mesh network communications protocol designed specifically for control, monitoring and status reading applications in residential and light commercial environments.

Z-Wave operates through regional Sub-GHz frequencies, ensuring product interoperability throughout the region. Every product in the Z-Wave ecosystem is interoperable and backward compatible all the way to the first generation.

Any device using Z-Wave must use command class structure, which is the “language of Z-Wave” and is classified in the Z-Wave specification.

Command Class Structure

Z-Wave commands are structured so that the most significant byte is always the “command class”, which is a group of commands that perform a specific function. The next byte is the command itself, such as “Set”, “Get” or “Report”.  The next set of bytes can range in size from 0 to the maximum Z-wave packet size, which is the payload of 64 minus the header. In the binary switch set command scenario, the third byte is the value itself – either 00 or FF, based on what you want the device to do, such as turn off or on a light.

There are four command class types in the Z-Wave realm:

• Application command class is a group of commands with a specific set of functions. All specific applications have a command class.
• Management command class allows you to control devices in the network and manage the way devices behave.
• Encapsulation command class includes commands that encapsulate other commands containing extra information.
• Network command class allows you to perform network operations such as including and excluding nodes, and preprovisioning nodes into the network.

Most command classes have three types of commands.

• Set command – the first type of command, allows a controller or gateway to set a specific state variable in another device.
• Get command – requests spec info from the device. For example, requests the status of a light. The light will respond with an “On” or “Off”.
• Report command – responds to a Get command type with the state of the variable that was requested. In the example of a light, “On” or “Off”.

For a list of Z-Wave command classes, visit our Z-Wave specification page.

Structure of a Z-Wave End Device

Z-Wave end devices are structured in the following order:

• Bottom layer — ZWave module or SoC (currently 700 series)
• ZWave Protocol layer —  precompiled in a set of libraries that you can add to your application to enable your protocol stack.
• Building block modules (3) — prewritten, pre-certified C code modules that address 90% of development needs. This is the application framework, or ZWave “skeleton code”, that all applications are built on.

The Sample Application and Product Specific Code layer sits on top of the application framework. Applications in this layer are pre-written and have undergone the full Z-Wave certification process. This is the best place to start designing your application. By reusing this sample code in your own application, you can significantly reduce your development time.

Getting Started

The first step to building your application is to order our Z-Wave Wireless Starter Kit (WSTK), which contains everything you need to get your project going, including the following:

• WSTK mainboard
• Radio board
• Buttons and LED expansion boards
• Controller and network sniffer USB sticks

Our Simplicity Studio tools further speed development by providing software examples, demos, sample code and supporting documentation. Using our WSTK, you can develop any Z-Wave application.

For more information on Z-Wave products and development tools, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

In this Tech Talks session, Senior Field Applications Engineer, Carlos Hernandez, describes Z-Wave command class structure and provides reference code examples. Click here to watch the entire session and register now for future Tech Talks. The following is an overview of Carlos’s presentation.

What is Z-Wave?

Z-Wave is a low-power, wireless mesh network communications protocol designed specifically for control, monitoring and status reading applications in residential and light commercial environments.

Z-Wave operates through regional Sub-GHz frequencies, ensuring product interoperability throughout the region. Every product in the Z-Wave ecosystem is interoperable and backward compatible all the way to the first generation.

Any device using Z-Wave must use command class structure, which is the “language of Z-Wave” and is classified in the Z-Wave specification.

Command Class Structure

Z-Wave commands are structured so that the most significant byte is always the “command class”, which is a group of commands that perform a specific function. The next byte is the command itself, such as “Set”, “Get” or “Report”.  The next set of bytes can range in size from 0 to the maximum Z-wave packet size, which is the payload of 64 minus the header. In the binary switch set command scenario, the third byte is the value itself – either 00 or FF, based on what you want the device to do, such as turn off or on a light.

There are four command class types in the Z-Wave realm:

• Application command class is a group of commands with a specific set of functions. All specific applications have a command class.
• Management command class allows you to control devices in the network and manage the way devices behave.
• Encapsulation command class includes commands that encapsulate other commands containing extra information.
• Network command class allows you to perform network operations such as including and excluding nodes, and preprovisioning nodes into the network.

Most command classes have three types of commands.

• Set command – the first type of command, allows a controller or gateway to set a specific state variable in another device.
• Get command – requests spec info from the device. For example, requests the status of a light. The light will respond with an “On” or “Off”.
• Report command – responds to a Get command type with the state of the variable that was requested. In the example of a light, “On” or “Off”.

For a list of Z-Wave command classes, visit our Z-Wave specification page.

Structure of a Z-Wave End Device

Z-Wave end devices are structured in the following order:

• Bottom layer — ZWave module or SoC (currently 700 series)
• ZWave Protocol layer —  precompiled in a set of libraries that you can add to your application to enable your protocol stack.
• Building block modules (3) — prewritten, pre-certified C code modules that address 90% of development needs. This is the application framework, or ZWave “skeleton code”, that all applications are built on.

The Sample Application and Product Specific Code layer sits on top of the application framework. Applications in this layer are pre-written and have undergone the full Z-Wave certification process. This is the best place to start designing your application. By reusing this sample code in your own application, you can significantly reduce your development time.

Getting Started

The first step to building your application is to order our Z-Wave Wireless Starter Kit (WSTK), which contains everything you need to get your project going, including the following:

• WSTK mainboard
• Radio board
• Buttons and LED expansion boards
• Controller and network sniffer USB sticks

Our Simplicity Studio tools further speed development by providing software examples, demos, sample code and supporting documentation. Using our WSTK, you can develop any Z-Wave application.

For more information on Z-Wave products and development tools, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.