3.2.34. Multi Channel Association Command Class, version 3¶

The Multi Channel Association Command Class is used to manage associations to Multi Channel End Point destinations as well as to NodeID destinations.

The following sections specify commands which were extended or added in version 3.

3.2.34.1. Compatibility Considerations¶

The considerations of section Section 3.2.33.1 also apply to this version the following additions:

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.21.001}{0}

A device supporting this Command Class version MUST also

support the Multi Channel Association Command Class, version 2
support the (non-Multi Channel) Association Command Class, version 2

This version introduces support for the creation of an End Point Association to the Root Device of another device, e.g. a gateway, by allowing the destination End Point 0 as a valid value.

This allows a gateway to create a single Lifeline association from a Multi Channel device and subsequently receive status messages or sensor reports from the Root Device as well as the End Points of that device. Refer to section Section 3.2.34.2.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.21.002}{0}

The use of Multi Channel encapsulation MUST comply with Table 3.136.

Table 3.136 V3 Associations and the Transmissions they may Trigger¶
Source -> Destination	Association Type	Allowed Transmissions
NodeID -> NodeID (V2)	NodeID	Non-encapsulated
End Point -> NodeID (V2)	NodeID	Non-encapsulated
NodeID -> End Point (V2)	End Point	Encapsulated *) (src≥0, dst>0)
End Point -> End Point (V2)	End Point	Encapsulated (src>0, dst>0)
End Point -> Root Device (V3)	End Point	Encapsulated (src>0, dst=0)
Root Device -> Root Device (V3)	End Point	Non-encapsulated **) or Encapsulated (src>0, dst=0)

*) The source End Point MAY be different than 0 if the associated group is an End Point Group mapped to the Root Device

**) Command must be sent non-encapsulated if both End Points are zero. However, the End Point association from a Root Device Lifeline group to a Root Device also allows a source End Point to send encapsulated commands to the Root Device Lifeline destination. Refer to Section 3.2.34.2.

3.2.34.2. Z-Wave Plus Considerations¶

The considerations of version 2 also apply to this version.

Version 3 adds support for creation of an End Point Association to the Root Device of another device, e.g. a gateway.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.11.001}{0}

A controlling device MUST verify that a device supports Multi Channel Association Command Class, Version 3 before creating an End Point Association to the Root Device of another device.

Multi Channel End Points may implement functionality relevant to a Lifeline destination, e.g. individual meter reports from a power strip. Multi Channel encapsulation allows the Lifeline destination to distinguish between apparently identical commands from different End Points.

As specified by the Multi Channel Command Class, a Root Device must not use Multi Channel encapsulation when communicating to another Root Device, i.e. if both End Points are zero. It does however still make sense to create an End Point Association from one Root Device to another Root Device, e.g. a gateway.

Consider, as an example, a two-channel temperature sensor. By creating an End Point association from the Lifeline Association Group to the Root Device of a gateway, the gateway may receive unsolicited Multi Channel encapsulated sensor reports from each of the sensor End Points as well as non-encapsulated battery status messages from the sensor Root Device.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.12.001}{0} \requirement{CC:008E.03.00.13.001}{8}

The Root Device of a Multi Channel device SHOULD implement support for the Multi Channel Association Command Class if any of the End Points provide association capabilities. If the Root Device implements such support, the Root Device MAY forward Multi Channel encapsulated commands to the association destination on behalf of End Points.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.11.002}{0}

A NodeID association MUST NOT be created in response to a request for an End Point association to the Root Device (destination End Point 0).

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.11.003}{4} \requirement{CC:008E.03.00.11.004}{8}

If a NodeID Association is created from the Root Device Lifeline Association Group, End Point commands MUST NOT be transmitted via the Lifeline Association Group of the root device. All commands originating from the Root Device (Tamper Alarm, Device Reset Locally, etc.) MUST be sent non-encapsulated to the Lifeline destination.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.11.005}{0}

If a NodeID association is created, two End Points MUST NOT forward identical commands (e.g. Multilevel Sensor Report::Temperature) via the Lifeline group, as the lack of source End Point information will prevent a receiving application from distinguishing the individual commands from each other.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.11.006}{0}

If an End Point Association is created from the Lifeline group, End Points MUST send relevant Multi Channel encapsulated commands to the Lifeline group destination.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.00.13.002}{0}

A Multi Channel device MAY forward commands from multiple Multi Channel End Points to the Lifeline group destination.

3.2.34.3. Security Considerations¶

The considerations of section Section 3.2.33.3 also apply to this version.

3.2.34.4. Multi Channel Association Set Command¶

This command is used to request that one or more destinations are added to a given association group.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.13.001}{0}

The destinations MAY be a mix of NodeID destinations and End Point destinations.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.12.001}{0}

The receiving node SHOULD add the specified destinations to the specified association group.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.13.002}{0}

This command MAY be ignored if the association group is already full.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.11.001}{0}

Routing end nodes MUST have return routes assigned to all association destinations.

Table 3.137 Multi Channel Association Set Command version 3¶
7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
Command Class = COMMAND_CLASS_MULTI_CHANNEL_ASSOCIATION (0x8E)
Command = MULTI_CHANNEL_ASSOCIATION_SET (0x01)
Grouping Identifier
NodeID 1
…
NodeID M
Marker = MULTI_CHANNEL_ASSOCIATION_SET_MARKER
Multi Channel NodeID 1
Bit Address 1	End Point 1
…
Multi Channel NodeID N
Bit Address N	End Point N

Grouping Identifier (8 bits)

This field is used to specify the actual association group.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.11.002}{0}

A node receiving an unsupported Grouping Identifier MUST ignore this command.

NodeID (M bytes)

The NodeID fields specify a list of NodeID destinations that are to be added to the specified association group as a NodeID association.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.11.003}{0}

A NodeID association created via this field MUST be identical to a NodeID association created with the (non-Multi Channel) Association Set command.

Marker (8 bits)

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.11.004}{4}

This field is used to indicate the end of NodeID destinations and the start of End Point destinations. The Marker field MUST be set to the value MULTI_CHANNEL_ASSOCIATION_SET_MARKER. The field MAY be omitted if no End Point destinations are specified.

Multi Channel NodeID (N bytes)

The Multi Channel NodeID, Bit Address and End Point fields specify a list of End Point destinations which are to be added to the specified association group as an End Point association.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.13.003}{4}

The complete identification of an End Point destination requires a NodeID as well as an End Point identifier. This command MAY carry multiple copies of the same Multi Channel NodeID in combination with different End Point identifiers.

Bit address + End Point (N bytes)

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.11.005}{0}

These fields MUST be processed in combination with the Multi Channel NodeID field.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.12.005}{0}

The receiving node SHOULD treat the Bit Address flag and the End Point identifier as one scalar value; thus creating only one association group entry. Using a single scalar value enables:

Better utilization of association group capacity
Simple transmission of command for a multi-End Point destination
Well-defined removal of bit addressed End Points

Refer to the Multi Channel Command Class for the actual encoding of bit addressed End Points.

\requirement{CC:008E.03.01.11.006}{0}

The 7-bit End Point value MUST be in the range 0..127.