INSTEON
Encyclopedia
Insteon is a system for connecting lighting switches and loads without extra wiring. INSTEON is a dual-band mesh home area networking topology employing AC-power lines and a radio-frequency (RF) protocol to communicate with devices. It is a home automation networking
technology designed by SmartLabs, Inc.
INSTEON is designed to enable devices, such as light switches, thermostats, motion sensors, etc. to be networked together using the powerline, radio frequency (RF), or both. All INSTEON devices are peers, meaning each device can transmit, receive, and repeat any message of the INSTEON protocol, without requiring a master controller or routing software.
All INSTEON compatible devices act as repeaters, meaning that they repeat each message they hear. This is in contrast to other mesh networking topologies where only "advanced nodes" repeat. Automatic error detection and correction are included in all INSTEON compatible products. The powerline protocol uses phase-shift keying
and is designed so that the repetition is synchronized: All repeaters repeat the same message during precisely-defined time slots, so while the repetitions collide, they do so in harmony in a manner that preserves the message. The power line AC frequency is used as the synchronization source.
(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.
Each transmission contains a two-bit "hops" field that starts at 3 and is decremented each time a node in the network repeats a message. The repetition scheme is designed so that all of the nodes repeat the messages in precise sync with one another, so the repetitions collide by design and strengthen one another in harmony.
s of arbitrary user data to support home-control applications from developers.
-compatible. 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, but not X10 signals.
Although both can be sent over the same powerline, INSTEON commands are not similar to or compatible with X10, and X10 commands are not INSTEON. Rather, INSTEON driver chipsets simply include the capability of transmitting, receiving, and responding to X10 powerline messages in addition to INSTEON messages. X10 compatibility is implemented in the INSTEON -compatible chipsets made by SmartLabs which are offered for sale to other product vendors wishing to implement INSTEON in their products.
Message types
Message format/structure
Devices supported
INSTEON engine memory requirements
Typical application (light switch, lamp dimmer) memory requirements
Powerline physical layer
RF physical layer
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
technology designed by SmartLabs, Inc.
SmartLabs
SmartLabs, Inc. is a privately held corporation that owns several companies in the home automation, home control and home monitoring spaces. Its worldwide operations has its headquarters in Irvine, CA.SmartLabs subsidiaries include:...
INSTEON is designed to enable devices, such as light switches, thermostats, motion sensors, etc. to be networked together using the powerline, radio frequency (RF), or both. All INSTEON devices are peers, meaning each device can transmit, receive, and repeat any message of the INSTEON protocol, without requiring a master controller or routing software.
All INSTEON compatible devices act as repeaters, meaning that they repeat each message they hear. This is in contrast to other mesh networking topologies where only "advanced nodes" repeat. Automatic error detection and correction are included in all INSTEON compatible products. The powerline protocol uses phase-shift keying
Phase-shift keying
Phase-shift keying is a digital modulation scheme that conveys data by changing, or modulating, the phase of a reference signal ....
and is designed so that the repetition is synchronized: All repeaters repeat the same message during precisely-defined time slots, so while the repetitions collide, they do so in harmony in a manner that preserves the message. The power line AC frequency is used as the synchronization source.
Network topology
INSTEON is an integrated dual-mesh network that combines wireless radio frequencyRadio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
(RF) with the home's existing electrical wiring. This is intended to improve reliability by providing a backup system in case of wireless interference
Interference (communication)
In communications and electronics, especially in telecommunications, interference is anything which alters, modifies, or disrupts a signal as it travels along a channel between a source and a receiver. The term typically refers to the addition of unwanted signals to a useful signal...
. As a peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
network, devices do not require network supervision, thus dispensing with the need for controllers and routing tables.
Each transmission contains a two-bit "hops" field that starts at 3 and is decremented each time a node in the network repeats a message. The repetition scheme is designed so that all of the nodes repeat the messages in precise sync with one another, so the repetitions collide by design and strengthen one another in harmony.
Installation
INSTEON devices are set up using a Plug and Tap method. Each device has its own unique ID. The procedure to link two INSTEON devices can be done manually at the devices. Though a basic system can be deployed without a controller or PC, such a device may be added for advanced home management. Some such devices are able to save and restore the configuration of individual devices on the network.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 byteByte
The byte is a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer...
s of arbitrary user data to support home-control applications from developers.
X10 compatibility
INSTEON products on the powerline can be manufactured to be X10X10 (industry standard)
X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics. It primarily uses power line wiring for signaling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts representing digital information...
-compatible. 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, but not X10 signals.
Although both can be sent over the same powerline, INSTEON commands are not similar to or compatible with X10, and X10 commands are not INSTEON. Rather, INSTEON driver chipsets simply include the capability of transmitting, receiving, and responding to X10 powerline messages in addition to INSTEON messages. X10 compatibility is implemented in the INSTEON -compatible chipsets made by SmartLabs which are offered for sale to other product vendors wishing to implement INSTEON in their products.
Specifications
Data rate- Instantaneous: 13,165 bitBitA bit is the basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications; it is the amount of information stored by a digital device or other physical system that exists in one of two possible distinct states...
/s - Sustained: 2,880 bit/s
Message types
- Standard: 10 byteByteThe byte is a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer...
s - Extended: 24 bytes
Message format/structure
- 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 engine memory requirements
- RAM: 80 bytes
- ROM: 3 kilobyteKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
s
Typical application (light switch, lamp dimmer) memory requirements
- RAM: 256 bytes
- EEPROM: 256 bytes
- Flash: 7 kB
Powerline physical layer
- Frequency: 131.65 kHz
- Modulation: Binary phase-shift keying (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 dBmDBmdBm is an abbreviation for the power ratio in decibels of the measured power referenced to one milliwatt . It is used in radio, microwave and fiber optic networks as a convenient measure of absolute power because of its capability to express both very large and very small values in a short form...
- Range: 150 ft unobstructed line-of-sight
See also
- DASH7DASH7DASH7 is an open source wireless sensor networking standard for wireless sensor networking, which operates in the 433 MHz unlicensed ISM band. DASH7 provides multi-year battery life, range of up to 2 km, low latency for connecting with moving things, a very small open source protocol...
, for wireless sensor networking - HomePlugHomePlugHomePlug is the family name for various power line communications specifications that support networking over existing home electrical wiring. Several specifications exist under the HomePlug moniker, with each offering unique performance capabilities and coexistence or compatibility with other...
- KNX (standard)KNX (standard)KNX is a standardized , OSI-based network communications protocol for intelligent buildings. KNX is the successor to, and convergence of, three previous standards: the European Home Systems Protocol , BatiBUS, and the European Installation Bus...
, for intelligent buildings - ONE-NETONE-NETONE-NET is an open-source standard for wireless networking. ONE-NET was designed for low-cost, low-power control networks for applications such as home automation, security & monitoring, device control, and sensor networks...
, an open source alternative - Powerline communication
- Universal powerline busUniversal powerline busUniversal powerline bus is a protocol for communication among devices used for home automation. It uses power line wiring for signaling and control....
(UPB) - X10 (industry standard)X10 (industry standard)X10 is an international and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices used for home automation, also known as domotics. It primarily uses power line wiring for signaling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts representing digital information...
, a home automation protocol - Z-WaveZ-WaveZ-Wave is a proprietary wireless communications protocol designed for home automation, specifically to remote control applications in residential and light commercial environments...
, an RF mesh technology - ZigBeeZigBeeZigBee is a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on an IEEE 802 standard for personal area networks. Applications include wireless light switches, electrical meters with in-home-displays, and other consumer and industrial...