INSTEON
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
INSTEON is a home automation networking technology invented by SmartLabs Technology. INSTEON was developed primarily for basic lighting and appliance control, similar to the technology it was designed to replace: X10. Both power line and RF physical layers are used in the system. INSTEON's design is intended to address the shortcomings of X10, with special attention paid to X10's poor reliability. Among the notable features are:
- Much faster bitrate (13,165 bit/s peak versus X10's 20 bit/s)
- All devices act as repeaters
- Power line devices repeat onto the power lines
- RF bridges repeat power line messages onto RF and vice-versa
- Messages include error detection information
- Automatic retransmission
- Devices have permanent unique 24-bit addresses
Contents |
[edit] Applications
- Scene and remote control lighting
- Security alarm interfaces and sensors
- Home sensors (e.g. water, humidity, temperature)
- Access control (e.g. door locks)
- Heating and cooling (HVAC) control and management
- Audio-video control
- Appliance management
- Energy savings
[edit] Network Topology
INSTEON is an integrated dual-mesh network that combines wireless radio frequency (RF) with the home's existing electrical wiring. This is intended to improve reliability by providing a backup system in case of wireless interference. As a peer-to-peer network, devices do not require network supervision, thus dispensing with the need for controllers and routing tables.
Additionally, each message on the network is confirmed, with damaged signals retransmitted. Each device acts as a two way repeater. According to the developers' own tests, INSTEON has been proven to be 99.97% reliable on the first try over the powerline.
[edit] Installation
INSTEON devices are set up using a Plug and Tap™ method. Each device has its own unique ID, eliminating the need to set addresses or manipulate code wheels. The procedure to link two INSTEON devices involves pressing and holding the ON button on the first controller device for 10 seconds, and then doing the same on the second device. Though a basic system can be deployed without a controller or PC, such a device may be later added for advanced home management - and it will then be able to "upload" any setup accomplished to date.
[edit] Transmission
INSTEON uses digital signal processing to encode and transmit messages, enabling rapid transmission of control data between INSTEON devices. Individual INSTEON messages can also carry up to 14 bytes of arbitrary user data to support home-control applications from developers.
[edit] X10 Compatibility
INSTEON allows manufacturers to develop products that are both INSTEON-compatible and X10-ready. Homeowners with existing X10 networks can migrate to an INSTEON network without having to discard all their existing X10 devices. INSTEON devices repeat INSTEON signals and not X10.
[edit] Specifications
- Network
- Dual mesh (RF and Powerline)
- Peer-to-Peer
- Mesh Topology
- Unsupervised (No routing tables)
- Protocol
- All devices are two-way repeaters
- Messages acknowledged
- Retry if not acknowledged
- Synchronized to powerline
- Device Installation
- Plug-in
- Wire-in
- Battery Operated
- X10 Compatibility
- INSTEON compatible devices can send and receive X10 commands
- INSTEON compatible devices do not repeat X10 commands
- Security
- Encrypted message payloads
- Application Development
- IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
- SDK and HDK (Software and Hardware) Developer Kits
- SALad interpreted language
- Data Rate
- Instantaneous 13,165 bit/s
- Sustained 2,880 bit/s
- Message Types
- Standard 10 Bytes
- Extended 24 Bytes
- Message Format/Structure (Bytes)
- Source Address 3 Bytes
- Destination Address 3 Bytes
- Flags 1 Byte
- Command 2 Bytes
- User Data 14 Bytes
- Message Integrity 1 Byte
- Devices Supported
- Unique IDs 16,777,216
- Device Types 65,536
- Commands 65,536
- Group Members 256
- INSTEON EngineMemory Requirements
- RAM 80 Bytes
- ROM 3 Kbytes
- Typical Application (Light Switch, Lamp Dimmer) Memory Requirements
- RAM 256 bytes
- EEPROM 256 bytes
- Flash 7 Kbytes
- Powerline Physical Layer
- Frequency 131.65 kHz
- Modulation BPSK
- Min Transmit Level 3.16 Vpp into 5 ohms
- Min Receive Level 10 mV
- Phase Bridging INSTEON RF or hardware
- RF Physical Layer
- Frequency 902 to 924 MHz
- Modulation FSK
- Sensitivity -103 dBm
- Range 150 ft unobstructed line-of-sight
