ZigBee upgrades its home automation specification

The ZigBee Alliance has just ratified its Home Automation Version 1.2 and has made it available to its members for product development. The new version is fully interoperable with the earlier versions of the standard.

Home Automation 1.2 adds several important new features that improve the battery life for security sensors to over seven years, standardize pairing of devices and simplify installation and maintenance for consumers and custom installers alike.

According to Tobin J.M. Richardson, Chairman & CEO of the ZigBee Alliance, thee features have a significant impact on operational and device costs to service providers and quality of service to consumers.

ZigBee Home Automation 1.2 includes enhancements to functions in devices such as door locks and support for additional devices including smart appliances and electrical measurement devices.

He said the standard incorporates new features resulting from a collaboration with the Energy@home initiative, an Italian collaborative and ZigBee Alliance partner, which will benefit consumers by integrating new devices and raising consumer awareness of energy usage without necessarily connecting to an electric utility.

“ZigBee Home Automation 1.2 is a major step forward in creating an open and fully interoperable wireless home control platform,” said Ted Grauch, Vice President, Video Premise Equipment, Technology & Product, Comcast Cable.

Richardson said ZigBee Home Automation 1.2 underwent rigorous testing, and 19 products have already achieved Golden Unit status for compliance testing and certification purposes.

The organization is sponsoring a free online ZigBee webinar on August 1, 2013 titled “ZigBee Home Automation 1.2 – Delivering Peace of Mind through Secure and Energy Efficient Homes.” .