SmartHome has taken the time to put all the information (including very technical details) about INSTEON in a whitepaper, and has officially released this document. You will not find this on their website yet, so a copy of the Index has been posted below, and you can also download the PDF by following the link at the end of the post.
Download the "INSTEON: the details" whitepaper
Introduction....................................................................
......................................1
INSTEON Overview........................................................................
.......................2
Why INSTEON?................................................................................
.............3
Hallmarks of INSTEON.........................................................................
..........5
INSTEON Specifications..................................................................
................6
INSTEON Fundamentals....................................................................
.............8
INSTEON Device Communication................................................................8
INSTEON Message Repeating...................................................................10
INSTEON Peer-to-Peer Networking............................................................12
INSTEON Applications and Devices................................................................13
INSTEON Messages........................................................................
.....................14
INSTEON Message Structure.......................................................................
..15
Message Lengths.........................................................................
...........15
Standard Message.........................................................................
....15
Extended Message.........................................................................
....16
Message Fields..........................................................................
.............17
Device Addresses.......................................................................
.......17
Message Flags...........................................................................
.......17
Command 1 and 2.............................................................................20
User Data............................................................................
.............20
Message Integrity Byte......................................................................20
INSTEON Message Summary........................................................................2
1
INSTEON Message Repetition......................................................................
..23
INSTEON Message Hopping.....................................................................23
Message Hopping Control...................................................................23
Timeslot Synchronization.................................................................
...23
INSTEON Message Retrying.....................................................................28
INSTEON Signaling Details.........................................................................
.........29
INSTEON Packet Structure.......................................................................
.....30
Powerline Packets.........................................................................
.........30
RF Packets.........................................................................
...................31
INSTEON Signaling.......................................................................
...............32
Powerline Signaling.......................................................................
.........32
BPSK Modulation......................................................................
.........33
Packet Timing..........................................................................
.........34
X10 Compatibility...................................................................
...........34
Message Timeslots.......................................................................
.....35
INSTEON Powerline Data Rates...........................................................37
RF Signaling.......................................................................
...................38
Simulcasting....................................................................
..........................40
T h e D e t a i l s Page ii
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Powerline Simulcasting....................................................................
.......40
RF Simulcasting....................................................................
.................41
RF/Powerline Synchronization.................................................................
.41
INSTEON Network Usage...........................................................................
.........42
INSTEON Commands........................................................................
...........43
Command 1...............................................................................
...........43
Command 2...............................................................................
...........43
INSTEON Device Classes.........................................................................
.....45
Device Identification Broadcast................................................................45
Device Type............................................................................
..............45
Device Category........................................................................
........46
Device Descriptor......................................................................
........46
Device Attributes......................................................................
.............46
Firmware Revision........................................................................
..........46
INSTEON Device Linking.........................................................................
.....47
INSTEON Groups..........................................................................
..........47
Groups and Links...........................................................................
...47
Examples of Groups..........................................................................
.47
Methods for Linking INSTEON Devices.......................................................49
Manual Linking.........................................................................
.........49
Electronic Linking.........................................................................
.....49
Example of an INSTEON Linking Session...............................................50
Example of INSTEON Group Conversation..................................................51
INSTEON Link Database........................................................................
..53
INSTEON Extended Messages.......................................................................5
4
INSTEON Security........................................................................
...............55
Linking Control.........................................................................
.............55
Physical Possession of Devices............................................................55
Masking Non-linked Network Traffic.....................................................55
Encryption within Extended Messages.......................................................56
INSTEON Application Development.....................................................................
57
Interfacing to an INSTEON Network...............................................................58
The Smarthome PowerLinc Controller........................................................58
Manager Applications....................................................................
...............59
SALad Applications....................................................................
..................60
SALad Overview........................................................................
.............60
SALad Integrated Development Environment.............................................60
INSTEON Developer’s Kits............................................................................
61
Software Developer’s Kit.........................................................................61
Hardware Development Modules...............................................................61
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August 11, 2005 © 2005 Smarthome Technology
Conclusion......................................................................
.....................................63
NOTES...........................................................................
......................................64
Download the "INSTEON: the details" whitepaper