IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBeeTM

When we talk about designing WPANs, we have three general trends that are contradictory: low data rate, medium data rate and high data rate. It is not always a desire in short-range situations to have low or high throughput because different applications require different conditions of operation. So Bluetooth can be considered as a medium data rate, while IEEE 802.15.4 is really the low data rate candidate. Unfortunately, there is no high data rate available from the IEEE but from other consortia such as WiMedia (a solution based on ultra-wideband [UWB] physical layer). IEEE 802.15.4 is designed to supply radio and MAC protocols allowing the designer to focus on the applications and customers’ needs.