xbee-api

Node.js and Chrome communicate with XBee/ZigBee devices in API mode

xbee-api

The xbee-api Node.js module helps you parsing and building API frames that are used to communicate with radio modules talking the 802.15.4 and ZigBee (including ZNet) protocol stacks. These are most commonly used in Digi's xbee radio modules, hence the name of this node module. However, other devices with the mentioned protocol stacks should also be supported. For details on supported firmwares and devices, see here.

xbee-api does not take care of the serial connection itself, but it is easy to hook it up to modules such as serialport.

Note that higher-level abstraction as currently provided in svd-xbee is not part of this module anymore. Consider 101100's promise-based xbee-promise module! Some work has been done towards more abstract, stream-based modules: xbee-stream and xbee-stream-nodes (both WiP)

GETTING STARTED

Install the module with: npm install xbee-api

var xbee_api = require('xbee-api');
var C = xbee_api.constants;
var xbeeAPI = new xbee_api.XBeeAPI();
 
// Something we might want to send to an XBee... 
var frame_obj = {
  type: C.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND,
  command: "NI",
  commandParameter: [],
};
console.log(xbeeAPI.buildFrame(frame_obj));
// <Buffer 7e 00 04 08 01 4e 49 5f> 
 
 
// Something we might receive from an XBee... 
var raw_frame = new Buffer([
    0x7E, 0x00, 0x13, 0x97, 0x55, 0x00, 0x13, 0xA2, 0x00, 0x40, 0x52, 0x2B,
    0xAA, 0x7D, 0x84, 0x53, 0x4C, 0x00, 0x40, 0x52, 0x2B, 0xAA, 0xF0
]);
 
console.log(xbeeAPI.parseFrame(raw_frame));
// { type: 151, 
//   id: 85, 
//   remote64: '0013a20040522baa', 
//   remote16: '7d84', 
//   command: 'SL', 
//   commandStatus: 0, 
//   commandData: [ 64, 82, 43, 170 ] }

See the Examples section for more useful/practical examples!

SUPPORTED FIRMWARES AND DEVICES

This module supports the 802.15.4 and ZigBee (including ZNet) protocol stacks.

From the XBee family, Series 1 (802.15.4) and Series 2 (ZNet 2.5 and ZigBee) modules are supported, since they come with firmwares talking either one of these stacks.

These documents are used as reference: 90000976.pdf (for Series 2) and 90000982.pdf (for Series 1). Some frame types are 802.15.4, ZNet or ZigBee specific. Be sure to use the correct ones for your module (as described in the documents and the list below). Also check out this utility from Digi.

Modules must run in API mode. Both AP=1 (without escaping) and AP=2 (with escaping) modes are supported (set the api_mode parameter accordingly).

Since ZigBee is more robust and offers more features than ZNet (none of which are yet implemented here, though!), you might be interested in upgrading your Series 2 modules from ZNet 2.5 to ZigBee: upgradingfromznettozb.pdf.

SUPPORTED FRAME TYPES

The following frame types are implemented:

0x00: TX (Transmit) Request: 64-bit address (802.15.4)
0x01: TX (Transmit) Request: 16-bit address (802.15.4)
0x08: AT Command (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)
0x09: AT Command Queue Parameter Value (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)
0x17: Remote Command Request (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)
0x21: Create Source Route (ZigBee)
0x80: RX (Receive) Packet: 64-bit Address (802.15.4)
0x81: RX (Receive) Packet: 16-bit Address (802.15.4)
0x82: RX (Receive) Packet: 64-bit Address IO (802.15.4)
0x83: RX (Receive) Packet: 16-bit Address IO (802.15.4)
0x88: AT Command Response (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)
0x89: TX (Transmit) Status (802.15.4)
0x8A: Modem Status (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)
0x97: Remote Command Response (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)
0x10: ZigBee Transmit Request (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x11: Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command Frame (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x8B: ZigBee Transmit Status (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x90: ZigBee Receive Packet (AO=0) (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x91: ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator (AO=1) (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x92: ZigBee IO Data Sample Rx Indicator (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x94: XBee Sensor Read Indicator (AO=0) (ZNet, ZigBee)
0x95: Node Identification Indicator (AO=0) (ZNet, ZigBee)
0xA1: Route Record Indicator (ZigBee)

NOT IMPLEMENTED YET

These (more esoteric) frame types have not been implemented yet, Open a new issue if you need something in particular:

0x24: Register Joining Device (ZigBee)
0xA0: Over-the-Air Firmware Update Status (ZigBee)
0xA2: Device Authenticated Indicator (ZigBee)
0xA3: Many-to-One Route Request Indicator (ZigBee)
0xA4: Register Joining Device Status (ZigBee)
0xA5: Join Notification Status (ZigBee)

KNOWN ISSUES

Enabling encryption with series 1 XBees / 802.15.4 devices causes some inexplicable problems - see Issue #12.

DOCUMENTATION

THE XBeeAPI CLASS

To get an instance xbeeAPI of the XBeeAPI class:

var xbee_api = require('xbee-api');
var xbeeAPI = new xbee_api.XBeeAPI({
    // default options: 
    api_mode: 1,      // [1, 2]; 1 is default, 2 is with escaping (set ATAP=2) 
    module: "Any",    // ["802.15.4", "ZNet", "ZigBee", "Any"]; This does nothing, yet! 
    raw_frames: false // [true, false]; If set to true, only raw byte frames are 
                      // emitted (after validation) but not parsed to objects.  
});

In the following a documentation of all class methods.

xbeeAPI.buildFrame(frame)

Returns an API frame (buffer) created from the passed frame object. See Creating frames from objects to write to the XBee for details on how these passed objects are specified.

xbeeAPI.canParse(buffer)

Returns whether the library implements a parser for the frame contained in the provided buffer. The buffer only needs to contain up to the frame type segment to determine if it can be parsed, but parseFrame() will need a complete frame.

xbeeAPI.parseFrame(buffer)

Parses and returns a frame object from the buffer passed. Note that the buffer must be a complete frame, starting with the start byte and ending with the checksum byte. See Objects created from received API Frames for details on how the retured objects are specified.

xbeeAPI.rawParser()

Returns a parser function with the profile function(emitter, buffer) {}. This can be passed to a serial reader such as serialport. Note that XBeeAPI will not use the emitter to emit a parsed frame, but it's own emitter (see Event: 'frame_object').

xbeeAPI.parseRaw(buffer)

Parses data in the buffer, assumes it is comming directly from the XBee. If a complete frame is collected, it is emitted as Event: 'frame_object'.

Event: 'frame_object'

Is emitted whenever a complete frame is collected and parsed.

xbeeAPI.nextFrameId()

Increments the internal frameId counter and returns it. Useful for building requests where we want to identify the respective response frame later on.

CREATING FRAMES FROM OBJECTS TO WRITE TO THE XBEE

There are four basic requests we can make to the XBee of which two are essentially the same. We can make (queued) command requests (0x08 and 0x09) and remote command request (0x17). These all behave pretty much the same as writing AT commands in AT mode. Lastly, there are transmit requests which can be used to send your own data to other devices (0x10, 0x00, 0x01 - depending on your firmware).

Note that many parameters have default values. For example, destination16/64 default to their unknown/broadcast values. For non-single-byte parameters, you can choose to pass a string ("fffe") or a byte array ([0xff, 0xfe]). We'd expect the latter to be slightly faster (but no benchmarks have been made).

0x08: AT Command (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x08, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND 
    id: 0x52, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    command: "NJ",
    commandParameter: [],
}

Execute the AT command set in command, optionally set a comandParameter value. An empty parameter usually queries the AT parameter value.

0x09: AT Command Queue Parameter Value (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x09, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND_QUEUE_PARAMETER_VALUE 
    id: 0x01, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    command: "BD",
    commandParameter: [ 0x07 ]
}

Pretty much the same as AT Command Requests, except that the commands are queued and applied at once when either an AC command is queued or a regular AT command request is sent.

0x17: Remote Command Request (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x17, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.REMOTE_AT_COMMAND_REQUEST 
    id: 0x01, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    destination64: "0013a20040401122",
    destination16: "fffe", // optional, "fffe" is default 
    remoteCommandOptions: 0x02, // optional, 0x02 is default 
    command: "BH",
    commandParameter: [ 0x01 ] // Can either be string or byte array. 
}

Behaves just as AT Command Requests, with additional destination64/16 parameters set to the remote node on which the AT command is to be executed.

0x10: ZigBee Transmit Request (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x10, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_TRANSMIT_REQUEST 
    id: 0x01, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    destination64: "0013a200400a0127",
    destination16: "fffe", // optional, "fffe" is default 
    broadcastRadius: 0x00, // optional, 0x00 is default 
    options: 0x00, // optional, 0x00 is default 
    data: "TxData0A" // Can either be string or byte array. 
}

Transmit your own data to a remote node.

0x00: TX (Transmit) Request: 64-bit address (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x00, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.TX_REQUEST_64  
    id: 0x01, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    destination64: "0013a200400a0127",
    options: 0x00, // optional, 0x00 is default 
    data: "TxData0A" // Can either be string or byte array. 
}

Transmit your own data to a remote node using a 64 bit address. This is for Series 1 / 802.15.4 modules only!

0x01: TX (Transmit) Request: 16-bit address (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x01, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.TX_REQUEST_16  
    id: 0x01, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    destination16: "ab00",
    options: 0x00, // optional, 0x00 is default 
    data: "TxData0A" // Can either be string or byte array. 
}

Transmit your own data to a remote node using a 16 bit address. This is for Series 1 / 802.15.4 modules only!

0x11: Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command Frame (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x11, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_TRANSMIT_REQUEST 
    id: 0x01, // optional, nextFrameId() is called per default 
    destination64: "0013a200400a0127", // default is broadcast address 
    destination16: "fffe", // default is "fffe" (unknown/broadcast) 
    sourceEndpoint: 0xA0,
    destinationEndpoint: 0xA1,
    clusterId: "1554",
    profileId: "C105",
    broadcastRadius: 0x00, // optional, 0x00 is default 
    options: 0x00, // optional, 0x00 is default 
    data: "TxData0A" // Can either be string or byte array. 
}

Allows ZigBee application layer fields (endpoint and cluster ID) to be specified for a data transmission. Similar to the ZigBee Transmit Request, but also requires ZigBee application layer addressing fields to be specified (endpoints, cluster ID, profile ID). An Explicit Addressing Request API frame causes the module to send data as an RF packet to the specified destination, using the specified source and destination endpoints, cluster ID, and profile ID.

0x21: Create Source Route (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x21, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.CREATE_SOURCE_ROUTE 
    destination64: "deadbeefcafebabe", // Must be a unicast address 
    destination16: "adad", // Must be a unicast address 
    addresses: [ // List of hops to destination (usually get these from route record indicator frames) 
        'babe', // Hop closes to destination 
        'beef',
        'cafe'  // Hop closest to source 
    ]
}

This sets a source route for sending a packet using a hard-coded route. See the ZigBee documentation on using source routing.

OBJECTS CREATED FORM RECEIVED API FRAMES

Objects created from API frames that the XBee would recieve contain a type property that identifies the frame type. If the frame is a response to a query made earlier, the id that was used for that request is also included.

0x88: AT Command Response (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x88, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND_RESPONSE  
    id: 0x01,
    command: "BD",
    commandStatus: 0x00,
    commandData: []
}

This is a response to a AT command request, for example to query or change an AT parameter value on the XBee module. The command was, in this case, setting the BD parameter of module. The command status 0 means OK (see Constants for more), which means that the baud rate was changed successfully.

0x97: Remote Command Response (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x97, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.REMOTE_COMMAND_RESPONSE  
    id: 0x01,
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    remote16: "7d84",
    command: "SL",
    commandStatus: 0x00,
    commandData: [ 0x40, 0x52, 0x2b, 0xaa ]
}

This is a response to a remote AT command request, for example to query or change an AT parameter value on another device in the network. This seems to be a response from the node with the address 0013a20040522baa. The requested command was, in this case, SL. The command status 0 means OK.

0x8B: ZigBee Transmit Status (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x8B, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_TRANSMIT_STATUS  
    id: 0x01,
    remote16: "7d84",
    transmitRetryCount: 0,
    deliveryStatus: 0,
    discoveryStatus: 1
}

This status is received after sending out a transmit request to the XBee (i.e. to send some text data to another module). The status contains the 16bit network address remote16, the number of transmission retries, information about whether delivery was successful and about any discoveries made.

0x8A: Modem Status (802.15.4, ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x8a, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.MODEM_STATUS  
    modemStatus: 0x06
}

These statuses give information about the general operation of the XBee. See the Constants section for more.

0x90: ZigBee Receive Packet (AO=0) (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x90, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_RECEIVE_PACKET  
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    remote16: "7d84",
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    data: [ 0x52, 0x78, 0x44, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61 ]
}

This frame contains general data (such as text data) received from remote nodes.

0x91: ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator (AO=1) (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x90, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_EXPLICIT_RX 
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    remote16: "7d84",
    sourceEndpoint: "e8",
    destinationEndpoint: "e8",
    clusterId: "0011",
    profileId: "c105",
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    data: [ 0x52, 0x78, 0x44, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61 ]
}

0x92: ZigBee IO Data Sample Rx Indicator (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x92, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_IO_DATA_SAMPLE_RX  
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    remote16: "7d84",
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    numSamples: 1,
    digitalSamples: {
        "DIO2": 1,
        "DIO3": 0,
        "DIO4": 1
    },
    analogSamples: {
        "AD1": 644
    }
}

An I/O data sample that contains information about the state of the digital and analog I/O pins that are set to sample data. Here, pins DIO2 & DIO4 read HIGH, DIO3 reads LOW, and AD1 samples an analog voltage of 644mV.

0x94: XBee Sensor Read Indicator (AO=0) (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x94, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.XBEE_SENSOR_READ  
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    remote16: "7d84",
    sensors: 0x03,
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    sensorValues: {
      AD0:   40, // A/D values in mV 
      AD1: 4120,
      AD2: 4680,
      AD3: 1640,
      T: 362,
      temperature: 22.625,     // in °C, undefined if no temp sens 
      relativeHumidity: 30.71, // in %, undefined if no hum sens 
      trueHumidity: 30.54,     // in %, undefined if not both temp & hum 
      waterPresent: false
    }
}

When the module receives a sensor sample (from a Digi 1-wire sensor adapter).

0x95: Node Identification Indicator (AO=0) (ZNet, ZigBee)

{
    type: 0x95, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.NODE_IDENTIFICATION 
    sender64: "0013a20040522baa"
    sender16: "7d84"
    receiveOptions: 0x02
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa"
    remote16:"7d84"
    nodeIdentifier: "MY_ROUTER",
    remoteParent16: "fffe",
    deviceType: 0x01,
    sourceEvent: 0x01
}

Modules with the JN (Join Notification) parameter enabled will transmit a broadcast Node Identification Indicator packet on power up and when joining. This can also be sent when the D0 button is pressed. Which of these events occurred is set in the sourceEvent property. sender64/16 here is the one from who the packet was received, whereas remote64/16 is the identified node itself (may be the same).

0x80: RX (Receive) Packet: 64-bit Address (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x80, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.RX_PACKET_64  
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    rssi: 0x3f
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    data: [ 0x52, 0x78, 0x44, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61 ]
}

This frame contains general data (such as text data) received from remote nodes(64 bit address). This is received only from Series 1 / 802.15.4 hardware.

0x81: RX (Receive) Packet: 16-bit Address (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x81, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.RX_PACKET_16  
    remote64: "522b",
    rssi: 0x3f
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    data: [ 0x52, 0x78, 0x44, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61 ]
}

This frame contains general data (such as text data) received from remote nodes(16 bit address). This is received only from Series 1 / 802.15.4 hardware.

0x82: RX (Receive) Packet: 64-bit Address IO (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x82, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.RX_PACKET_64_IO  
    remote64: "0013a20040522baa",
    rssi: 0x3f
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    data: [ 0x52, 0x78, 0x44, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61 ]
}

This frame contains I/O data received from remote nodes (64 bit address). This is received only from Series 1 / 802.15.4 hardware.

0x83: RX (Receive) Packet: 16-bit Address IO (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x83, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.RX_PACKET_16_IO  
    remote64: "522b",
    rssi: 0x3f
    receiveOptions: 0x01,
    data: [ 0x52, 0x78, 0x44, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61 ]
}

This frame contains I/O data received from remote nodes (16 bit address). This is received only from Series 1 / 802.15.4 hardware.

0x89: TX (Transmit) Status (802.15.4)

{
    type: 0x89, // xbee_api.constants.FRAME_TYPE.TX_STATUS  
    id: 0x01,
    deliveryStatus: 0
}

When a TX Request is completed, the module sends a TX Status message. This message will indicate if the packet was transmitted successfully or if there was a failure (deliveryStatus).

CONSTANTS

You don't have to remember the hex-numbers of the frame types, command options, status types, etc. Everything is defined in two-way constants. See the examples below:

var xbee_api = require('xbee-api');
var C = xbee_api.constants;
 
// Frame types (frame.type): 
C.FRAME_TYPE.ZIGBEE_TRANSMIT_REQUEST; // 0x10 
C.FRAME_TYPE[0x10] // "ZigBee Transmit Request (0x10)"; 
 
// Command Status (frame.commandStatus) 
C.COMMAND_STATUS.ERROR; // 0x01 
C.COMMAND_STATUS[0x01]; // "(Error (0x01)" 
 
// Discovery Status (frame.discoveryStatus) 
C.DISCOVERY_STATUS.ADDRESS_DISCOVERY // 0x01 
C.DISCOVERY_STATUS[0x01] // "Address Discovery (0x01)" 
 
// Delivery Status (frame.deliveryStatus) 
C.DELIVERY_STATUS.ADDRESS_NOT_FOUND // 0x24 
C.DELIVERY_STATUS[0x24] // "Address Not Found (0x24)" 
 
// Modem Status (frame.modemStatus) 
C.MODEM_STATUS.JOINED_NETWORK // 0x02 
C.MODEM_STATUS[0x02] // "Joined Network (0x02)" 
 
// Receive Options (frame.receiveOptions) 
C.RECEIVE_OPTIONS.PACKET_ACKNOWLEDGED // 0x01; 
C.RECEIVE_OPTIONS[0x01] // "Packet Acknowledged (0x01)" 
 
// Device Type (frame.deviceType) 
C.DEVICE_TYPE.END_DEVICE // 0x02 
C.DEVICE_TYPE[0x02] // "End Device (0x02)"

Please refer to lib/constants.js for a complete list, and the module documentation here for more explanation.

EXAMPLES

To combine with serialport, we use the rawParser(). Make sure to set your baudrate, AP mode and COM port.

var util = require('util');
var SerialPort = require('serialport').SerialPort;
var xbee_api = require('xbee-api');
 
var C = xbee_api.constants;
 
var xbeeAPI = new xbee_api.XBeeAPI({
  api_mode: 1
});
 
var serialport = new SerialPort("COM19", {
  baudrate: 57600,
  parser: xbeeAPI.rawParser()
});
 
serialport.on("open", function() {
  var frame_obj = { // AT Request to be sent to  
    type: C.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND,
    command: "NI",
    commandParameter: [],
  };
 
  serialport.write(xbeeAPI.buildFrame(frame_obj));
});
 
// All frames parsed by the XBee will be emitted here 
xbeeAPI.on("frame_object", function(frame) {
    console.log(">>", frame);
});

To link a received frame object to a request we earlier sent, we have to set and remember the frame.id of our request. Then, when a new frame object is emitted, we could look it up and route the response back.

 
var frameId = xbeeAPI.nextFrameId();
var frame_obj = {
    type: C.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND,
    id: frameId,
    command: "NI",
    commandParameter: []
};
 
serialport.write(xbeeAPI.buildFrame(frame_obj));
 
// All frames parsed by the XBee will be emitted here 
xbeeAPI.on("frame_object", function(frame) {
    if (frame.id == frameId &&
        frame.type == C.FRAME_TYPE.AT_COMMAND_RESPONSE) {
        // This frame is definitely the response! 
        console.log("Node identifier:",
            String.fromCharCode(frame.commandData));
    } else {
        // This is some other frame 
    }
});