Ambient Intelligence

KNX
(Formerly: EIB)

Prof. Renato Nunes

renato.nunes @ tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Prof. Renato Nunes 1

KNX - Konnex

• Initially: EIB - European Installation Bus

• Technology developed by an association of
companies
– Siemens, ABB, Hager, Theben, Merten, Gira, …, …
(2016: there are more than 400 manufacturers, from 38 countries
worldwide, that offer KNX compatible products)
– www.knx.org
• KNX was designed to integrate EIB,
BatiBus and EHS (European Home System)
• KNX is an international standard:
– ISO/IEC 14543
Prof. Renato Nunes 2
 KNX – Application Domains

• Can be applied to the residential market but also

to big buildings

Prof. Renato Nunes 3

System Design

Blinds
Heating
Lighting

Time-
dependent

Weather-
dependent
Room-
dependent
Light-
dependent

Central

Infrared

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 KNX
Suports Decentralized Solutions
• Devices interact directly with each other (peer to
peer communication)

• This is the typical approach

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KNX
Suports Centralized Solutions
• Decisions are taken by a dedicated application
running in a computer connected to the KNX bus

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 Examples of KNX Devices

http://www.knx-online-shop.de
http://www.eibshop.co.uk
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Modules for Electric Boards

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 Smart Terminals and
Control Panels

“Smart Terminals”

“Control Panels”
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Ethernet Gateway

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 Example of a KNX system

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KNX Internals

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 KNX Topology

• Basic topology: one bus, called a “Line”

• A “Line” must have a power supply (28 V)
• The connection between devices uses two wires that, at the same
time, supply energy to the devices and support communication

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Topology: a “Line”

• Variants of a “Line”
• A line may have up to 64 devices (or more, using repeaters)

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 Topology: an “Area”

• An “Area” may have up to 15 Lines

• An “Area” has a “Main Line” (must incude a power supply)
• Connection between “Lines” and the “Main Line” is done using
special devices: LC – Line Couplers
Main line = Line 0
PS
SV // Ch
Dr

LC 1 LC 15

PS
SV // Ch
Dr PS
SV // Ch
Dr

DVC 1 DVC 1

DVC 64 DVC 64

LC = Line coupler
Line 1 Line 15
DVC = Bus device
PS/Ch = Power supply unit with choke
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KNX Architecture

• A system may have up to 15 “Areas”

• “Areas” are interconnected through a “Backbone Line” (must include a
power supply)
• Connection between “Main Lines” and the “Backbone Line” is done
using BC – Backbone Couplers
Backbone line

BC n Area n
Hauptlinie
Area 3
SV BC 3
SV/ /Dr
Dr
PS
SV // Ch
Dr Hauptlinie
Area 2
SV / Dr BC 2
SV / Dr LK 1 LK 15
Hauptlinie
Area 1
SV BC 1
SV/ /Dr
Dr LK 1 LK 15
Main line
PS
SV // Ch
Dr SV
LK 1 SV/ /Dr
Dr LK 15
SV
SV/ /Dr
Dr
SV
SV/ /Dr SV
SV/ /Dr
LC 1 Dr LC 15 Dr
TLN 1 SV / Dr DVC 1
SV
SV/ /Dr
Dr SV / Dr
PS TLN 1 PS / Ch DVC 1
SV // Ch
Dr SV / Dr
TLN 1 DVC 1
DVC 1
TLN 64 DVC 1
TLN 64

TLN 64 DVC 64
DVC 64
Linie 15
TLN 64 DVC
TLN 64
TLN 64
DVC 64
Linie 1 DVC 64
TLN 64 Linie 15
Linie 15
Line 1 Line 15 BC = Backbone coupler
LC = Line coupler
DVC = Bus device

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 Physical Addresses

Backbone line
PS
SV // Ch
Dr

BC 1 DVC BC 15
1.0.0 0.0.>0 15.0.0
DVC
1.0.>0 Main line
PS
SV / Ch
Dr

LC 1 LC 15
1.1.0 1.15.0
PS
SV // Ch
Dr PS
SV // Ch
Dr

DVC
TLN 64
1 TLN 64
DVC 1
1.1.1 1.15.1
Line 1 Line 15

DVC
TLN 64
64 DVC 64
TLN 64
A physical address 1.1.64 1.15.64
has 16 bits. Organization:
1 . 1 . 64 F = Function area BC = Backbone coupler
FFFF LLLL DDDDDDDD L = Line LC = Line coupler
D = Bus device DVC = Bus device
Area Line Device (8 bits)

up to 256
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Coupling Unit – block diagram

• Coupling units allow address filtering (for bandwidth optimization)

Primary line on terminal

Electrical
isolation

Bus coupling unit 600 V

test voltage

Filter table
Logic

Lithium battery
> 10 years
Bus coupling unit

Secondary line on data rail

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 Types of Coupling Units

• Backbone Couplers, Line Couplers and Line Repeaters

Remember address filtering
Note addresses of couplers

Backbone line
BC X.0.0 15.0.0 BC
DVC1 DVC48
…
Main line
LC X.X.0 LC
Max. 64
X.X.1 DVC1

DVC63 X.X.63

Secondary line

X.X.192
LR1 X.X.64 LR2 X.X.128 LR3 BC = Backbone coupler
LC = Line coupler
DVC64 LR = Line repeater
3 x max. DVC65 X.X.65 DVC129 X.X.129 DVC193 X.X.193
64
DVC127 X.X.127 DVC191 X.X.191 DVC255 X.X.255

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Interface with other systems

PS
SV // Ch
Dr
Backbone line

BC 1 Gateway

PS
SV // Ch
Dr
Main line = Line 0
LC 1 LC 15
Other
PS
SV // Ch
Dr PS
SV // Ch
Dr systems

DVC 1 DVC 1

DVC 64 DVC 64
BC = Backbone coupler
Line 1 LC = Line coupler Line 15
DVC = Bus device
PS/Ch = Power supply unit with choke

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 Distance Limitations

• Line maximum length: 1000 m

• Maximum distance between two devices: 700 m
• Maximum distance between one device and the
power supply: 350 m
• A line may have more than one power supply;
minimum distance between them: 200 m

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KNX Protocol

• Follows the 7 layers OSI model

• Communication media:
– TP – Twisted Pair cable (most common and reliable)
– RF – Radio Frequency (uses Z-Wave technology)
– PL – Power Line
– IR – Infra Red

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 Power Line Communication

• Asynchronous transmission, bidirectional, half-duplex

• Transmission rate: 1200 bps
• Modulation: Spread Frequency Shift Keying
• Maximum distance between two devices: 600 m
• Communication is affected by high levels of
electromagnetic noise (communication errors may occur
frequently)

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Twisted Pair Communication

• Asynchronous transmission, bidirectional, half-duplex

• Transmission rate: 9600 bps
• Medium access: Collision avoidance (CSMA/CA)

YCYM 2×2×0.8 I Y(St) Y 2×2×0.8 VDE 0815

Fixed installation; Fixed installation;
dry, humid and wet rooms; indoors only;
outdoor (if protected against flush mounted, in conduits
direct sun radiation);
surface & flush mounted, in conduits
Test voltage : 4 kV according to Test voltage : 2.5 kV according to
DIN VDE 0829 DIN VDE 0829

Synthetic material Tracer

- (white)
+ (yellow)
EIB Installation Bus
- BUS (black)
+ BUS (red)
Synthetic foil
Metalised synthetic foil

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 Bus connection block

• Allow removal of bus devices without interrupting the bus

• Mechanical protection against mismatching

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Signal Transmission

• Devices transmit only if line is in silence

• The symbol 0 is active while the symbol 1 is passive (no signal)
• In case of collision, the symbol 0 overrides symbol 1
(the device that is transmitting 1, detects that other device is
transmitting 0 and stops transmitting, allowing the other to continue)
• One device is always successful in transmitting

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 CSMA/CA Procedure

Bus 0
device 1

Transmission from bus device 2

1 aborted (repeated after a delay)
Bus
device 2

Bus

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Symmetrical Transmission

• Helps eliminating the effect of noise

• Signal from one line is subtracted from the signal of the
other line

+ core

- core

Signal Radiated noise

DVC DVC

DVC = Bus device

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 Signal Transmission

• Theory and practice Positive spikes are due to the inductance

(choke) present in power supply modules
and in the devices

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BCU – Bus Coupling Unit

Installation bus

choke PS
Electronics Application
interface
INFO

TM BCC

TM = Transmission module PS = Power supply

BCC = Bus coupling controller

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 Power Supply with Choke

Installation bus

Power supply unit

28 V

Choke

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KNX Protocol

• Access to the communication medium

t1 Telegram t2 Ack.

Duration of telegram: 20 to 40 ms

Prof. Renato Nunes 32

 Telegram Structure

Source address = Physical address (16 bits)

Target address = Physical address (16 bits) or Group Address (16 bits)
This bit specifies the address type: physical or group

Target address Length Check byte

Control field Routing counter Useful data
Source address

8 bit 16 16 + 1 3 4 up to 16 x 8 8

8 bit 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Prof. Renato Nunes 33

Physical Addresses

Backbone line
PS
SV // Ch
Dr

BC 1 DVC BC 15
1.0.0 0.0.>0 15.0.0
DVC
1.0.>0 Main line
PS
SV / Ch
Dr

LC 1 LC 15
1.1.0 1.15.0
PS
SV // Ch
Dr PS
SV // Ch
Dr

DVC
TLN 64
1 TLN 64
DVC 1
1.1.1 1.15.1
Line 1 Line 15

DVC
TLN 64
64 DVC 64
TLN 64
A physical address 1.1.64 1.15.64
has 16 bits. Organization:
1 . 1 . 64 F = Function area BC = Backbone coupler
FFFF LLLL DDDDDDDD L = Line LC = Line coupler
D = Bus device DVC = Bus device
Area Line Device (8 bits)

up to 256
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 Group Address

• Used for functionalities

• Devices that interact functionally, share a group address
(e.g.: for a switch to control a light, both need to use the same group address)

Group address: 2 level

Main group Subgroup

4 bit: 0 - 15 11 bit: 0 - 2047

0 M M M M S S S S S S S S S S S M = Main group
S = Subgroup

Group address: 3 level

Main group Subgroup

4 bit: 0 - 15 8 bit: 0 - 255

0 M M M M Mi Mi Mi S S S S S S S S
M = Main group
Middle group
Juli 97 Topo_81b

Mi = Middle group
3 bit: 0 - 7
S = Subgroup

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Group Address – Example

• A device may have multiple group addresses

• Group addresses allow to associate functionally different
devices
Main line

LC1 Group addresses LC2

P1 1/1 L13 1/1

- Sensor S1 S1 1/11
controls lamps P2 1/2 L21 1/2 1/11
L11 and L21.
- Pushbutton P2
L11 1/1 1/11 L22 1/2
commands lamps
L21, L22 and L23. LC = Line coupler
P = Pushbutton
- ... L12 1/1 L23 1/2 L = Lamp
S = Brightness sensor

Prof. Renato Nunes 36

 Telegram Check Byte

Control Source Target

field address address Length
Useful data Check byte
Routing counter

8 bit 16 16 + 1 3 4 up to 16 x 8 8 bit

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0 + P = 0

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0 + P = 0

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0 + P = 0
+ +
S7 S6 S5 S4 S3 S2 S1 S0 + P = 0
=1
Legend
D0 - D7 = Data bit of 8-bit blocks
S0 - S7 = Bit of check byte
block (uneven parity)
P = Parity bit above
=1 character (even parity)

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Telegram Acknowledge

Telegram Ack.

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0 Read direction of the data bit

N N 0 0 B B 0 0 Acknowledgement message

1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 BUSY Still occupied

0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 NAK Reception incorrect
1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 ACK Reception correct

B=00 BUSY
N=00 NAK

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 Telegram Useful Data

Source Target
Control
address address Check
field Length Useful data
byte
Routing counter

8 bit 16 16 + 1 3 4 up to 16 x 8 8 bit

L L L L 0 0 X X X X CCCCDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDD

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Number of data
bytes = LLLL + 1 Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 2 Byte 15

Legend Selected commands

C = Command 0000 Value Read

D = Data (dependent on EIS type) 0001 Value Response
L = Length of useful data (dependent on EIS type) 0010 Value Write
X = No evaluation 1010 Memory Write

Prof. Renato Nunes 39

Data Formats

Size of data Representable values Term in digital EIB application

technology (selection)

1 bit 2 Bit Switching EIS 1

2 bit 4 Priority EIS 8

4 bit 16 Tetrade, nibble Dimming EIS 2

8 bit 256 Byte Valuator EIS 6

16 bit 65.536 Word Floating point EIS 5

32 bit 4.294.967.296 Double word Counter EIS 11

EIS = EIB Interworking Standard

Now: KNX standardized Data types (european standard EN 50090)
Prof. Renato Nunes 40
 EIS Type 1 – “Switching”

8 bit 16 16 + 1 3 4 2x8 8 bit

L L L L 0 0 X X X X CCCCX X X X X A

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Communication object Values:

1 bit 1 = On / release / true / alarm
0 = Off / lock-out / false / no alarm
Legend:
A = Switching object
Telegram example:
C = Command
Actuator channel switches on
L = Length of usable data (byte 0 to byte 1)
X = Not evaluated

EIS – EIB Interworking Standard

Now: KNX standardized Data types (european standard EN 50090)
Prof. Renato Nunes 41

EIS Type 2 – “Dimming”

8 bit 16 16 + 1 3 4 2x8 8 bit

L L L L 0 0 X X X X CCCCX X AAAA Dimming code:

000B - Stop Dimming
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 001B - Dimming level 1
010B - Dimming level 2
011B - Dimming level 4
Dimming direction: 100B - Dimming level 8
1 = Dim brighter 101B - Dimming level 16
0 = Dim darker 110B - Dimming level 32
Legend 111B - Dimming level 64
A = Dimming object
C = Command Range = 1 / Dimming level
L = Length of usable data (byte 0 to byte 1) Telegram example:
X = No evaluation dimming brighter by 25%

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 EIS Type 5 – “Floating Point”

8 bit 16 16 3 4 4x8 8 bit

L L L L 0 0 X X X X C C C C X X X X X X S E E E E MMMMMMMMMMM

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0

Sign
1 = "-" Mantissa (resolution = 0.01;
0 = "+" negative value as two’s
complement
Exponent to the base 2
0 ... 15 B
(0000B ... 1111B)
B
B
Legend
B
Telegram example: Room temperature = 21°C
C = Command E = Integer exponent to the base of 2
L = Length of usable data (byte 0 to byte 3) S = Sign for mantissa
X = No evaluation M = Mantissa with a resolution of 0.01

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EIS Type 6 – “Relative Value”

8 bit 16 16 + 1 3 4 3x8 8 bit

L L L L 0 0 X X X X CCC CX X X X X XV V V V V V V V

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1

Legend
C = Command Telegram example:
L = Length of usable data (byte 0 to byte 2) Brightness value 60% (153)
V = Value
X = No evaluation 153 / 255 = 0,6

Prof. Renato Nunes 44

 EIS Type 7 – “Drive Control”
(Motor)

8 bit 16 16 3 4 2x8 8 bit

LLLL 0 0 X X X X CCCCXX X X X A
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Communication object: Values (Move): Values (Step):

1 bit 1 = Lowering / Extending 1 = Stop / Step down
0 = Raising / Retracting 0 = Stop / Step up
Legend:
Telegram example: Shutter is lowered
A = Drive object
L = Length of usable data (byte 0 to byte 1)
C = Command X = Not evaluated

Prof. Renato Nunes 45

Internal Structure of a Device

Installation bus Bus device

PEI

BCU
AM

PEI = Physical ext. interface

BCU = Bus coupling unit

AM = Application module

Prof. Renato Nunes 46

 Bus Coupling Unit

Installation bus PEI

_
+
rt sw
ROM RAM

EEPROM µ P

TRC BCC
K unit BCU
Bus coupling PEI = Phys. ext. interface
_ TRC = Transceiver
+
BCC = Bus coupling controller

Prof. Renato Nunes 47

The Transceiver

Installation
_ bus EIB
+

rt sw < 18 V Save

RPP 24 V

24 V 5V
5V

< 4.5 V Reset

OV

Logic receive.
Driver send
enable
BCC

_ Bus coupling unit BCU

+
BCC = Bus coupling controller

Prof. Renato Nunes 48

 Application Module

BCU PEI AU

RType
6 +5 V
Analogue
2
3

Data 4
7
9

0V 1/10

+5 V 5 +5 V
8 +24 V
+24 V BCU = Bus coupling unit
AU = Application unit
PEI = Physical ext. interface

Prof. Renato Nunes 49

Application Function:
Dimming with Start/Stop Telegrams

100%

0%

Start
dimming Stop Switch off: Switch on: Start Stop
long dimming short short dimming dimming:
operation release operation of operation of long release
dimming rocker plate rocker plate operation rocker plate
rocker plate
Dimming actuator switches to last reached
value (parameter dependant)
Prof. Renato Nunes 50
 Application Function:
Dimming with Cyclical Telegrams
Dimming speed of the actuator shall be adapted to the cyclical transmission of dimming telegrams

Brightness

100%

7/8

6/8

5/8

4/8

3/8

2/8

1/8

+ 12.5% + 12.5% + 12.5% + 12.5% + 12.5% + 12.5% + 12.5% + 12.5% Time

Prof. Renato Nunes 51

Conclusion

• Main advantages:
– Robustness and reliability
– High degree of functionality
– Supports the design of complex systems for big
installations
• Main disadvantages:
– Complexity of installation and configuration
– KNX requires certification of installers
– Requires usage of the ETS software (expensive)
– Devices and other system components are expensive

Prof. Renato Nunes 52

 Questions?

Prof. Renato Nunes 53