ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC/
STANDARD IEEE
8802-15-4
First edition
2010-10-15

Information technology —
Telecommunications and information
exchange between systems — Local and
metropolitan area networks — Specific
requirements —
Part 15-4:
Wireless medium access control (MAC)
and physical layer (PHY) specifications
for low-rate wireless personal area
networks (WPANs)
Technologies de l'information — Télécommunications et échange
d'information entre systèmes — Réseaux locaux et métropolitains —
Exigences spécifiques —
Partie 15-4: Spécifications du contrôle d'accès du milieu sans fil (MAC)
et de la couche physique (PHY) pour les réseaux personnels sans fil de
faible débit (WPAN)




Reference number
ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

©
IEEE 2010

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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)
Foreword
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4 was prepared by the LAN/MAN Standards Committee of the IEEE Computer Society
(as IEEE Std 802.15.4-2006). It was adopted by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information
technology, Subcommittee SC 6, Telecommunications and information exchange between systems, in parallel
with its approval by the ISO/IEC national bodies, under the “fast-track procedure” defined in the Partner
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the maintenance of this document with participation and input from ISO/IEC national bodies.
ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology —
Telecommunications and information exchange between systems — Local and metropolitan area networks —
Specific requirements:
— Part 15-4: Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications for Low-Rate
Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs).
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

IEEE Standard for
Information technology—
Telecommunications and information
exchange between systems—
Local and metropolitan area networks—
Specific requirements
Part 15.4: Wireless Medium Access Control
(MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)
Specifications for Low-Rate Wireless
Personal Area Networks (WPANs)
IEEE Computer Society
Sponsored by the
LAN/MAN Standards Committee
I E E E
™
3 Park Avenue IEEE Std 802.15.4 -2006
New York, NY 10016-5997, USA (Revision of
IEEE Std 802.15.4-2003)
8 September 2006
© IEEE 2010 – All rights reserved v

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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

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vi © IEEE 2010 – All rights reserved

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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

IEEE Std 802.15.4™-2006
(Revision of
IEEE Std 802.15.4-2003)
IEEE Standard for
Information technology—
Telecommunications and information exchange
between systems—
Local and metropolitan area networks—
Specific requirements—
Part 15.4: Wireless Medium Access Control
(MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)
Specifications for Low-Rate Wireless
Personal Area Networks (WPANs)
Sponsor
LAN/MAN Standards Committee
of the
IEEE Computer Society
Approved 7 June 2006
IEEE-SA Standards Board
Abstract: IEEE Std 802.15.4-2003 defined the protocol and compatible interconnection for data
communication devices using low-data-rate, low-power, and low-complexity short-range radio
frequency (RF) transmissions in a wireless personal area network (WPAN). This revision extends
the market applicability of IEEE Std 802.15.4, removes ambiguities in the standard, and makes
improvements revealed by implementations of IEEE Std 802.15.4-2003.
Keywords: ad hoc network, low data rate, low power, LR-WPAN, mobility, PAN, personal area
network, radio frequency, RF, short range, wireless, wireless personal area network, WPAN
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5997, USA
Copyright © 2006 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
All rights reserved. Published 8 September 2006. Printed in the United States of America.
IEEE and 802 are registered trademarks in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, owned by the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, Incorporated.
Print: ISBN 0-7381-4996-9 SH95552
PDF: ISBN 0-7381-4997-7 SS95552
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, in an electronic retrieval system or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the publisher.
© IEEE 2010 – All rights reserved vii

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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

IEEE Standards documents are developed within the IEEE Societies and the Standards Coordinating
Committees of the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Standards Board. The IEEE develops its standards
through a consensus development process, approved by the American National Standards Institute, which brings
together volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to achieve the final product. Volunteers are not
necessarily members of the Institute and serve without compensation. While the IEEE administers the process and
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

Introduction
This introduction is not part of IEEE Std 802.15.4-2006, IEEE Standard for Information technology—Telecom-
munications and information exchange between systems—Local and metropolitan area networks—Specific
requirements—Part 15.4: Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications for
Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs).
This standard defines the protocol and interconnection of devices via radio communication in a personal
area network (PAN). The standard uses carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA-CA)
medium access mechanism and supports star as well as peer-to-peer topologies. The media access is
contention based; however, using the optional superframe structure, time slots can be allocated by the PAN
coordinator to devices with time critical data. Connectivity to higher performance networks is provided
through a PAN coordinator.
This revision was initiated to incorporate additional features and enhancements as well as some
simplifications to the 2003 edition of this standard. The standard now includes two optional physical layers
(PHYs) yielding higher data rates in the lower frequency bands and, therefore, specifies the following four
PHYs:
— An 868/915 MHz direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) PHY employing binary phase-shift
keying (BPSK) modulation
— An 868/915 MHz DSSS PHY employing offset quadrature phase-shift keying (O-QPSK)
modulation
— An 868/915 MHz parallel sequence spread spectrum (PSSS) PHY employing BPSK and amplitude
shift keying (ASK) modulation
— A 2450 MHz DSSS PHY employing O-QPSK modulation
The 868/915 MHz PHYs support over-the-air data rates of 20 kb/s, 40 kb/s, and optionally 100kb/s and
250kb/s. The 2450 MHz PHY supports an over-the-air data rate of 250 kb/s. The PHY chosen depends on
local regulations and user preference.
This revision also incorporates the following additions and enhancements to the 2003 edition:
— Adds support for a shared time base through the addition of a data time stamping mechanism
— Adds extensions of the 2.4GHz derivative modulation yielding higher data rates at the lower
frequency bands
— Incorporates a mechanism for communicating the revision level on a frame-by-frame basis
— Adds support for beacon scheduling
— Allows synchronization of broadcast messages in beacon-enabled PANs
— Improves usage of security suite
Also, this revision incorporates the following changes and simplifications:
— Makes GTS support optional
— Removes restrictions for manually enabling the receiver
— Simplifies passive and active scan procedures
— Allows for more flexibility in the CSMA-CA algorithm
— Reduces association time in nonbeacon networks
This revision is backward-compatible to the 2003 edition; in other words, devices conforming to this
standard are capable of joining and functioning in a PAN composed of devices conforming to
IEEE Std 802.15.4-2003.
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)

Notice to users
Errata
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conducting inquiries into the legal validity or scope of those patents that are brought to its attention.
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)
Contents
1. Overview. 1
1.1 General. 1
1.2 Scope. 1
1.3 Purpose. 2
2. Normative references. 3
3. Definitions . 5
4. Acronyms and abbreviations . 9
5. General description . 13
5.1 Introduction. 13
5.2 Components of the IEEE 802.15.4 WPAN. 13
5.3 Network topologies. 14
5.3.1 Star network formation . 14
5.3.2 Peer-to-peer network formation. 15
5.4 Architecture . 15
5.4.1 Physical layer (PHY) . 17
5.4.2 MAC sublayer. 17
5.5 Functional overview . 17
5.5.1 Superframe structure. 17
5.5.2 Data transfer model.18
5.5.2.1 Data transfer to a coordinator . 19
5.5.2.2 Data transfer from a coordinator. 20
5.5.2.3 Peer-to-peer data transfers . 21
5.5.3 Frame structure . 21
5.5.3.1 Beacon frame . 21
5.5.3.2 Data frame. 22
5.5.3.3 Acknowledgment frame. 22
5.5.3.4 MAC command frame . 23
5.5.4 Improving probability of successful delivery . 23
5.5.4.1 CSMA-CA mechanism . 23
5.5.4.2 Frame acknowledgment. 24
5.5.4.3 Data verification . 24
5.5.5 Power consumption considerations . 24
5.5.6 Security . 24
5.6 Concept of primitives. 25
6. PHY specification . 27
6.1 General requirements and definitions . 27
6.1.1 Operating frequency range. 27
6.1.2 Channel assignments. 28
6.1.2.1 Channel numbering. 29
6.1.2.2 Channel pages . 29
6.1.3 Minimum long interframe spacing (LIFS) and short interframe spacing
(SIFS) periods . 30
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ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-15-4:2010(E)
6.1.4 RF power measurement . 31
6.1.5 Transmit power . 31
6.1.6 Out-of-band spurious emission. 31
6.1.7 Receiver sensitivity definitions. 31
6.2 PHY service specifications . 31
6.2.1 PHY data service .32
6.2.1.1 PD-DATA.request . 32
6.2.1.2 PD-DATA.confirm . 33
6.2.1.3 PD-DATA.indication. 34
6.2.2 PHY management service. 34
6.2.2.1 PLME-CCA.request. 35
6.2.2.2 PLME-CCA.confirm. 35
6.2.2.3 PLME-ED.request. 36
6.2.2.4 PLME-ED.confirm . 36
6.2.2.5 PLME-GET.request . 37
6.2.2.6 PLME-GET.confirm . 38
6.2.2.7 PLME-SET-TRX-STATE.request. 39
6.2.2.8 PLME-SET-TRX-STATE.confirm. 40
6.2.2.9 PLME-SET.request. 40
6.2.2.10 PLME-SET.confirm. 41
6.2.3 PHY enumerations description . 42
6.3 PPDU format. 43
6.3.1 Preamble field . 43
6.3.2 SFD field. 44
6.3.3 Frame Length field.45
6.3.4 PSDU field. 45
6.4 PHY constants and PIB attributes. 45
6.4.1 PHY constants. 45
6.4.2 PHY PIB attributes . 45
6.5 2450 MHz PHY specifications .47
6.5.1 Data rate. 47
6.5.2 Modulation and spreading . 47
6.5.2.1 Reference modulator diagram. 47
6.5.2.2 Bit-to-symbol mapping . 47
6.5.2.3 Symbol-to-chip mapping . 47
6.5.2.4 O-QPSK modulation. 48
6.5.2.5 Pulse shape. 49
6.5.2.6 Chip transmission order . 49
6.5.3 2450 MHz band radio specification. 49
6.5.3.1 Transmit power spectral density (PSD) mask. 49
6.5.3.2 Symbol rate . 49
6.5.3.3 Receiver sensitivity. 49
6.5.3.4 Receiver jamming resistance . 50
6.6 868/915 MHz band binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) PHY specifications . 50
6.6.1 868/915 MHz band data rates . 50
6.6.2 Modulation and spreading . 50
6.6.2.1 Reference modulator diagram. 50
6.6.2.2 Differential encoding . 51
6.6.2.3 Bit-to-chip mapping. 51
6.6.2.4 BPSK modulation .
...