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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 1 5/23/02
THE FLETCHER SCHOOL OF LAW & DIPLOMACYTufts University
Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages,
Applicat ions and Regulatory Policy
Deepali Iyengar
MALD 2002
Prof. Lee McKnight
MALD Thesis
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 3 5/23/02
ABSTRACT
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is a wireless technology for transmitting large amounts of
digital data over a wide spectrum of frequency bands with very low power for a
short distance. Some of the advantages of UWB include high data rate
performance for high speed mobile and multi-user applications, very fine range
resolution, precision distance and positioning measurement capabilities, low
probability of detection as well as low system complexity and low cost. The
disadvantages of UWB include the possibility of interference with other systems
and signal noise.
The purpose of this thesis is to understand Ultra Wideband Technology and its
applications and to see whether this technology is really breakthrough and
whether it is a viable technology for the future.
Different applications for Ultra Wideband technology are classified under three
main areas: Communications, Radar and Tracking. UWB communications
applications include: in-building communications systems, indoor broadband
cellular phones, private radios, and wireless broadband Internet access. Radar
applications of UWB technology include: through-wall sensing radar, security
systems tracking movement, collision avoidance sensors for cars and boats,
industrial robotic controls and advanced highway construction and inspection
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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and the FCC are not convinced that this overlap would not cause interference
with other existing technologies as well as with defense and aviation frequencies.
Hence they have been very cautious with their policies for commercializing UWB.
Therefore, it would probably be more beneficial for the propagators of Ultra
Wideband, to first commercialize this technology in developing countries, which
are still establishing their telecommunication infrastructures. These countries
would be more willing to adapt to UWB as it would benefit them greatly and the
companies involved in UWB would have ready markets in which they could test
their products and prove their effectiveness. Once established in these markets,
it would be easier for them to make inroads into developed countries.
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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traffic. Today, huge amounts of R&D are being spent to develop new methods
that more efficiently use each radio frequency band.
One new and interesting technology is gaining prominence in the industry today.
This new technology is considered to be a breakthrough as it is not restricted to a
particular band of spectrum, but in fact, overlays itself over existing spectrum,
thus making better use of available bandwidth. It is known as Ultra Wideband
Technology. This paper will be focusing on the various aspects of Ultra
Wideband Technology including its advantages, commercial applications and
also the regulatory policies surrounding it.
As this is such a cutting edge technology, there is not much information on Ultra
Wideband that is found in either books or industry journals. For example, even
the latest issue of the IEEE Communications magazine (April 2002), which has a
special edition on Wideband technology, does not address Ultra Wideband in any
significant way. Thus, the author had to rely on information from company
sources and white papers to research and study this subject.
What is Ultra Wideband Technology?
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is an alternative wireless communications technology that
offers the promise of high bandwidth wireless communications without the
constraints of spectrum allocation. Fundamentally different from conventional
radio frequency communications, UWB relies on a series of narrow, precisely
timed pulses to transmit digital data. Transmitters and receivers that use UWB
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 8 5/23/02
can be much simpler to build than their conventional counterparts, resulting in
lower cost and higher power efficiency. Moreover, the inherent properties of
UWB emissions allow them to potentially coexist with conventional wireless
systems on a non-interfering basis1.
Ultra Wideband radio is a revolutionary wireless technology for transmitting
digital data over a wide spectrum of frequency bands with very low power. It can
transmit data at very high rates (for wireless local area network applications) and
very low rates (for telemetry applications). Within the power limit allowed under
the current FCC regulations, Ultra Wideband can not only carry huge amounts of
data over a short distance at very low power, but also has the ability to carry
signals through doors and other obstacles that tend to reflect signals at more
limited bandwidths and a higher power. At higher power levels, UWB signals can
travel to significantly greater ranges. Instead of traditional sine waves, Ultra
Wideband Radio broadcasts digital pulses that are timed very precisely on a
signal across a very wide spectrum at the same time. Transmitter and receiver
must be coordinated to send and receive pulses with an accuracy of trillionths of
a second2.
The term "ultra wideband" is a relatively new term to describe a technology,
which had been known since the early 1960s as carrier-free, baseband, or
"impulse" technology. The basic concept is to develop, transmit and receive an
1 Tomorrows Technology Teachers, Ultra wideband Technology What is it? August 1999. Available at
http://ed.tsud.edu/tcubed/whats_this/whats_this_intro.htm (visited on October 5, 2001)
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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extremely short duration burst of radio frequency (RF) energy typically a few
tens of picoseconds (trillionths of a second) to a few nanoseconds (billionths of a
second) in duration. These bursts represent from one to only a few cycles of an
RF carrier wave. The resultant waveforms are extremely broadband, so much so
that it is often difficult to determine an actual RF center frequency thus, the
term "carrier-free". Early methods of signal generation utilized "baseband" (i.e.,
non-RF), fast rise-time pulse excitation of a wideband microwave antenna to
generate and radiate the antennas effective "impulse" response. (More
precisely, it is the antennas "step" response that is actually produced.) More
modern UWB systems, no longer utilize direct impulse excitation of an antenna
because of the inability of such an approach to adequately control emission
bandwidths and apparent center frequencies3.
Please refer to Exhibit 1 at the end of the paper, for a diagram that shows the
Emission Bandwidth of a UWB transmitter.
History of Ultra Wideband Technology4
The only radio technologies available in the earliest days of wireless at the end of
the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century were pulse radios. In
1893, Heinrich Hertz used a pulsed spark discharge to generate electromagnetic
waves for his experiments, and for 20 years thereafter, spark gaps and arc
2
Ibid3 What is Ultra Wideband Technology May 2000. Available at
www.aetherwire.com/CDROM/Welcome.html (Visited on October 3, 2001)
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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discharges between carbon electrodes were the principal mechanisms for
producing these signals. Eventually, rotating generators and later vacuum tube
and solid-state oscillators were used to produce sinusoidal radio waves.
Receivers could then discriminate among transmitters operating at different
frequencies.5
In 1942, Louis de Rosa filed for two patents. On November 23 he sought one for
radio detection systems in which the transmission of impulses may occur either
steadily or at random. He applied for the second patent, random impulse
system, a few weeks after the first, on December 18, 1942, and received it more
than eleven years later, in 1954 it was among numerous patents that were
frozen until long after WW II because the U.S. government believed they covered
critical wartime secrets. Conrad H. Hoeppner filed for another core patent in
November 1945, and received it sixteen years later, in September 1961. It
outlines a pulse communication system meant to reduce interference and
jamming, and to enhance specificity, reliability, and secrecy.6
Modern contributions to the field of UWB stepped up in the late 1960s with the
published work of Gerald Ross at the Sperry Corporation and Henning Harmuth
at Catholic University, who studied the main components of a UWB transmission
4
Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications G
Roberto Aiello, Minnie Ho, Jim Lovette. Available at www.fantasma.net (visited on February 26, 2002)5 Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications6 Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 11 5/23/02
system and established the basic design for UWB transceivers. The main focus
was on pulse generation and detection techniques7.
Since the 1960s and 1970s, UWB technologies have been developed for
commercial non-communications applications. By the late 1990s new
implementations of UWB components as well as a better understanding of
system characteristics have taken UWB technologies to a stage of maturity that
allows the building and commercialization of high performance, low cost wireless
communication systems. Most UWB developments are still in the laboratory
because the FCC has not yet authorized their use. In the same period, an
explosive growth of consumer demand for access to networked and media-based
broadband information has outstripped available wireless delivery capacity8.
In 1996, members of the wireless industry began to discuss several new wireless
LAN standards, including BlueTooth, HomeRF, and IEEE 802.15. Each LAN
concept was based upon different usage models and was backed by different
telecommunications providers. The lack of an alternative, possibly international,
frequency band forced all the standards to be based on the 2.4 GHz band, even
though the FCC initiated the 5 GHz band in the same year9.
Each of the standards was a small evolution of previous LAN standards,
especially with respect to the quality of service provided for voice and video.
7 Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications8 Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 12 5/23/02
None approached the ability to deliver the combinations of high definition video
and other media that were demanded by the consumer market. This shortcoming
invigorated a search for better technologies, which called attention to the unique
merits of UWB10.
9 Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications10 Fantasma Networks, Ultra Wideband: An Emerging Technology for Wireless Communications
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 13 5/23/02
2. Features of Ultra Wideband Technology
Ultra Wideband and Wideband Technology
Ultra Wideband Technology is part of a larger gamut of technology known as
Wideband or Broadband technology. To understand Ultra Wideband better, let us
first try to understand wideband or broadband.
Wideband and Broadband are two synonymous terms used for the same
technology. In general, wideband or broadband refers to telecommunication in
which a wide band of frequencies is available to transmit information. It is a
transmission medium or channel that has a wider bandwidth than one voice
channel (with a carrier wave of a certain modulated frequency). Because a wide
band of frequencies is available, information can be multiplexed and sent on
many different frequencies or channels within the band concurrently, allowing
more information to be transmitted in a given amount of time. It is generally
agreed that Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable TV are broadband services
in the downstream direction11.
Various definers of wideband or broadband have assigned a minimum data rate
to the term. Here are a few:
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
Deepali Iyengar Page 14 5/23/02
Newton's Telecom Dictionary: "...greater than a voice grade line of 3
KHz.some say [it should be at least] 20 KHz."
J upiter Communications: at least 256 Kbps.
IBM Dictionary of Computing: A broadband channel is "6 MHz wide."12
Thus, Ultra Wideband, which is a part of wideband, is a wireless technology for
transmitting large amounts of digital data over a wide spectrum of frequency
bands with very low power for a short distance. Ultra wideband radio not only can
carry a huge amount of data over a distance up to 230 feet at very low power
(less than 0.5 milliwatts), but also has the ability to carry signals through doors
and other obstacles that tend to reflect signals at more limited bandwidths and a
higher power. Ultra wideband can be compared with another short-distance
wireless technology, Bluetooth, which is a standard for connecting handheld
wireless devices with other similar devices and with desktop computers. 13
Ultra wideband broadcasts digital pulses that are timed very precisely on a
carrier signal across a very wide spectrum (number of frequency channels) at the
same time. Transmitter and receiver must be coordinated to send and receive
pulses with an accuracy of trillionths of a second. On any given frequency band
that may already be in use, the ultra wideband signal has less power than the
11
Ross D. Murch, Khaled Ben Lataief, Wideband Wireless Access Technologies to Broadband Internet,
IEEE Communications Magazine, April 200212
Ibid13 Search Networking, Ultra Wideband Definition Available at
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci213243,00.html (visited on February 27,
2002)
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normal and anticipated background noise so theoretically no interference is
possible. Time Domain, a company applying to use the technology, uses a
microchip manufactured by IBM to transmit 1.25 million bits per second, but
believes that there is the potential for a data rate in the billions of bits per
second14.
The term Wideband is commonly contrasted with the term Narrowband.
Generally, narrowband describes telecommunication that carries voice
information in a narrow band of frequencies. More specifically, the term has been
used to describe a specific frequency range set aside by the U.S. FCC for mobile
or radio services, including paging systems, from 50 cps to 64 Kbps.15
Advantages of Ultra Wideband Technology
Since UWB waveforms are of such short time duration, they have some rather
unique properties. In communications, for example, UWB pulses can be used to
provide extremely high data rate performance in multi-user network applications.
For radar applications, these same pulses can provide very fine range resolution
and precision distance and/or positioning measurement capabilities. In fact,
14
Ibid15
Search Networking, Narrowband Definition Available at
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci213243,00.html (visited on February 27,
2002)
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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multifunction architectures encompassing communications, radar and positioning
applications have been developed16.
These short duration waveforms are relatively immune to multipath cancellation
effects as observed in mobile and in-building environments. Multipath
cancellation occurs when a strong reflected wave e.g., off of a wall, ceiling,
vehicle, building, etc. arrives partially or totally out of phase with the direct path
signal, causing a reduced amplitude response in the receiver. With very short
pulses, the direct path has come and gone before the reflected path arrives and
no cancellation occurs. As a consequence, UWB systems are particularly well
suited for high-speed, mobile wireless applications. In addition, because of the
extremely short duration waveforms, packet burst and time division multiple
access (TDMA) protocols for multi-user communications are readily
implemented17.
As bandwidth is inversely related to pulse duration, the spectral extent of these
waveforms can be made quite large. With proper engineering design, the
resultant energy densities (i.e., transmitted Watts of power per unit Hertz of
bandwidth) can be quite low. This low energy density translates into a low
probability of detection (LPD) RF signature. An LPD signature is of particular
interest for military applications (e.g., for covert communications and radar);
however, an LPD signature also produces minimal interference to proximity
16 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), September
27, 2001. Available at http://www.multispectral.com/UWBFAQ.html (visited on October 17 2001)17 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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systems and minimal RF health hazards, significant for both military and
commercial applications18.
Among the most important advantages of UWB technology, however, are those
of low system complexity and low cost. UWB systems can be made nearly "all-
digital", with minimal RF or microwave electronics. Because of the inherent RF
simplicity of UWB designs, these systems are highly frequency adaptive,
enabling them to be positioned anywhere within the RF spectrum. This feature
avoids interference to existing services, while fully utilizing the available
spectrum19.
Disadvantages of Ultra Wideband Technology
As with any technology, there are always applications that may be better served
by other approaches. For example, for extremely high data rate (10s of
Gigabits/second and higher), point-to-point or point-to-multipoint applications, it is
difficult today for UWB systems to compete with high capacity optical fiber or
optical wireless communications systems. Of course, the high cost associated
with optical fiber installation and the inability of an optical wireless signal to
penetrate a wall dramatically limits the applicability of optically based systems for
in-home or in-building applications. In addition, optical wireless systems have
18 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)19 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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extremely precise pointing requirements, obviating their use in mobile
environments20.
UWB is an RF wireless technology, and as such is still subject to the same laws
of physics as every other RF technology. Thus, there are obvious tradeoffs to be
made in signal-to-noise ratio versus bandwidth, range versus peak and average
power levels, etc21.
Overlap between Ultra Wideband and Other Systems
UWB is a Radio Frequency technology and has the potential to interfere with
existing systems if not properly designed. Furthermore, there are several ways in
which UWB emissions can be generated. Some of these techniques are more
prone to generate harmful interference effects than are others. For example,
UWB systems, which utilize direct impulse excitation of an antenna, produce
energy, which is typically spread over a spectral extent significantly greater than
the design bandwidth of the antenna. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to tightly
control the bandwidth and center frequency of such emissions with an antenna
alone, and the end result is that these emissions typically span restricted bands
set aside by the Federal Communications Commission22.
Other important aspects of UWB design, which directly impact interference
potential, include pulse duty cycle and modulation strategy. Of course, the higher
20 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)21 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)22 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Understanding Ultra Wideband Technology: Advantages, Applications and Regulatory Policy
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the pulse duty cycle, the greater the average amount of energy transmitted. In
some proposed UWB schemes, multiple pulses are transmitted per single bit of
information. This has the effect of further increasing the total amount of energy
transmitted, or forcing the designer to accept a much lower data rate for a given
average energy. In addition, a high pulse repetition frequency (PRF) has the
effect of further concentrating this energy into a set of spectral lines. When a
spectral line falls into the band of a sensitive receiver (e.g., GPS), considerable
interference can result23.
But, more modern techniques create a UWB waveform through pulse shaping
prior to transmission from an antenna. These techniques have the considerable
advantage of being controllable, both in frequency and bandwidth; and can be
made to operate outside of restricted bands such as those reserved for GPS and
safety of life systems24.
23 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)24 Multispectral Solutions Inc, Ultra Wideband (UWB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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3. Major Players in the UWB Market
Time Domain Corporation
Time Domain Corporation is considered by most people to be the founder and
chief propagator of Ultra Wideband Technology. Time Domain has developed
PulsON TM chipsets and chip designs based upon the Time Modulated Ultra
Wideband (TM-UWB) architecture. PulsON TM technology transmits pulse trains
of individual ultra-wideband pulses at very precise time intervals. The result: a
low power, noise-like signal that can transmit data, voice and video
communications; can be used as a personal radar; or can be used as a
positioning and tracking device. The TM-UWB architecture was conceived as a
means to enable high-bandwidth transmissions in the increasingly crowded
spectrum. The TM-UWB technology is radically different from the traditional sine
wave technology used in current wireless technology such as CDMA and
TDMA25.
The TM-UWB architecture is characterized by:
Ultra-short duration pulses which yield ultra-wide bandwidth signals
Extremely low power spectral densities
25
Time Domain Corporation, PulsON Technology Time Modulated Ultra Wideband for Wireless
Applications, June 2000, Available at
http://www.ero.dk/EROWEB/SRD/UWB/Time%20Domain/Tech%20Overview%20400-0001%20A.pdf
(visited on October 21, 2001)
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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis
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Center frequencies typically between 650 MHz and 5 GHz, with potential to
go higher as technology advances
Multi-mile ranges with sub-milliWatt average power levels (even with low gain
antennas)
Excellent immunity to interference from other radio systems26.
Time Domain uses Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) to implement
its PulsON technology into the market via products made by existing legacy
companies, and to enable the incorporation of this technology into entirely new
markets. Time Domain has developed two chips specific to TM-UWB radios. The
first chip, the Timer, is capable of handling the 10-picosecond timing required by
the radios. The second chip is a Correlator. It consists of a variable gain amplifier
and three independent correlating circuits. Both of the RF chips have been
developed using the Silicon Germanium process. These chips constitute the bulk
of the RF portion of the radio. The third chip, a Digital Baseband Signal
Processor and Controller, is currently under design27.
Products based upon the PulsON chipset are expected to enjoy the following
benefits:
Exceptional multipath immunity
Relatively simple and likely less costly to build than spread spectrum radios
26 Time Domain Corporation, The Pulse of the Future, Available at
http://www.timedomain.com/Files/HTML/pressreleases/reportandorderfcc.html (visited on October 21,
2001)
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Home wireless networks
Numerous public safety applications involving motion detection through
walls or rubble.
In-building personnel and asset tracking
High-speed local area networks and wide area networks
Invisible security domes and fences
Collision avoidance sensors
Ultra high precision positioning/tracking systems30
Multispectral Solutions Inc.
Multispectral Solutions (MSSI) has had a long history of developing and fielding
UWB hardware and systems for a large number of Government and military
customers and applications. With its patented UWB receiver technology, MSSI
has demonstrated the ability to detect single pulses of UWB energy with
extremely high sensitivity and in the presence of high interference. A single-pulse
detection capability is critical for high-speed mobile wireless applications. Single-
pulse detection also allows for a significant reduction in transmitted power, with
resultant reduction in interference potential to other systems. The unique
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properties of MSSI's detector also include the ability to respond to the leading
edge of a UWB pulse, enabling applications for precision positioning and
geolocation for buildings and environments with multi-paths31.
MSSI's patented UWB transmitter design provides for architectures adapted for
different frequencies as well as several bandwidths. These unique architectures
enable the development of UWB systems which can coexist with existing spectral
users without mutual interference, while minimizing the peak and average power
levels required for reliable communications. Also, MSSI's technology has been
proven competent through extensive field tests and evaluations in harsh
electromagnetic environments32.
Since its inception, MSSI has received a total of 43 contract awards (as of 21
November 2000) to develop UWB systems for the U.S. Government and military.
These systems have included:
Tactical handheld & network-capable LPI/D radios LPI/D standing for low
probability of intercept and detection. These radios are designed for mobile
ad hoc wireless network communications with data rates to 1.544 Mb/s;
Non line-of-sight, surface wave communications systems, which utilize the
unique properties of the earth to allow ultra wideband communications over
difficult or blocked terrain;
30
Mobileinfo.com, US West takes stake in Time Domain to explore Ultra Wideband31 Multispectral Solutions Inc., History and Overview Available at www.multispectral.com/history.html
(visited on 12/7/2001)32 Ibid
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Datalinks for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground robotic vehicles
these are used for the relay of video and data from these platforms, as well as
for command & control of the vehicles. Data rates to 25 Mb/s have been
demonstrated, with higher data rates envisioned for future applications;
UWB wireless intercom systems for secure communications on-board aircraft.
These wireless systems use digital voice transmissions having significantly
improved audio quality over existing, tethered systems.
UWB tags for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications including
vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadside communications, as well as unique
applications such as the detection of problem (i.e., suspended license)
drivers;
High accuracy UWB precision geolocation systems for 3-D location of
materiel or personnel in both indoor and urban environments without the use
of the Global Positioning System (GPS);
Collision and obstacle avoidance radars for helicopters, micro air vehicles,
large mining equipment, etc. One specific example was the development of a
UWB obstacle avoidance radar which could detect a small diameter power
line a serious threat to helicopter air safety;
High precision altimeters for height above ground level determination in
helicopters and other air platforms;
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LPI proximity fuses for "smart munitions" these are extremely precise radars
which are very difficult to jam; and,
Intrusion detection radars for wide area surveillance, as well as "through-the-
wall" sensors for detection of personnel behind walls or other obstacles33.
Fantasma Networks Inc.
Fantasma Networks was formed to provide solutions to eliminate the obstacles
that prevent the sharing of content, connections, and peripherals in the home.
While common data types including MPEG and HTML are seemingly driving the
convergence of the PC and consumer electronics worlds, networking solutions
haven't kept pace. Today's solutions were developed for corporate applications
and do not address the unique performance or ease of use requirements
necessary for widespread consumer adoption34.
In 1996, under the direction of G. Roberto Aiello, a project team began a best of
breed technology approach to solving the entertainment-networking problem.
Fantasma Networks became an independent organization in January 2000, with
the charter to combine ultra-wideband (UWB) radio transmission technology,
33
Multispectral Solutions Inc, Perspectives on Ultra Wideband Technology, Available at
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/research/netex/presentations/Fontana.pdf (visited on 12/7/2001)34 Fantasma Networks, Overview, News and Press Releases, Available at
www.fantasma.net/content/news_content.shtml (visited on 02/02/2002)
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which is particularly well suited to short-range broadband networking, and a
network architecture designed for consumer applications35.
In May 2001, Fantasma Networks was acquired by Pulse-Link Inc., another
company innovating UWB technologies. All continued product development is
occurring at Pulse-Link's offices in San Diego, California. In recognition of and
respect for the outstanding work, commitment and accomplishments of the
Fantasma team, Pulse-Link has chosen to continue identifying the UWB
technology pioneered at Fantasma Networks under the Fantasma name36.
The Fantasma chipset provides reliable wireless video networking. Its silicon-
based solutions combine a flexible networking protocol with ultra-wideband
(UWB) radio technology to provide a simple yet powerful solution for distributing
high quality video throughout the home. Designed from inception to meet
consumers' high quality of service expectations, Fantasmas network architecture
provides ease of installation and unmatched multi-stream reliability37
In 1996, the original Fantasma team set out to develop a system for distributing
digital content, including high quality video, throughout homes, schools, and
other indoor environments. This initial idea coupled with extensive user
requirements research led to the current Fantasma technology platform
35 Fantasma Networks, Overview, News and Press Releases36 Fantasma Networks, Overview, News and Press Releases37 Fantasma Networks, Overview, News and Press Releases
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consisting of an ultra-wideband (UWB) physical layer and a networking protocol
ideal for entertainment based digital content38.
Fantasma's UWB physical layer is the wireless link between networked devices.
UWB was chosen for four key reasons: reliability, high throughput, ease of use
and affordability. Fantasma's wireless network was able to achieve the most
reliable wireless solution because its UWB implementation is robust to the effects
of interference, multi-path fading and poor propagation frequently encountered
with existing indoor solutions. Using pulse-amplitude modulation, Fantasma's 1st
generation product will transmit data at 60Mbps, providing more than enough
throughput to simultaneously transmit multiple video streams. Because this
solution has been continuously developed with the end user in mind, ease of use
and affordability have been consistent design constraints. For example, UWB
systems have relatively fewer analog radio frequency components allowing more
user benefits within the cost constraints of consumer price points39.
The other essential part of Fantasma's solution is the networking protocol.
Network protocols designed for data-centric traffic generally do not meet the
requirements of networks transmitting digital audio and video content. These
digital video networks require time synchronization for audio and video stream
support, high-traffic network stability, and prioritization to ensure quality of
service for the audio/video streams. Fantasmas network protocol specifically
addresses issues such as uncontrolled deployment, a mixture of both time
38 Pulse-Link Inc., Ultra Wideband Technology, Available at www.pulselink.net/technology/default.htm
(visited on 02/02/2002)39 Pulse-Link Inc., Ultra Wideband Technology
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bounded (A/V) and bursty (data) traffic, support of a high continuous load, and
the ability to negotiate traffic during transmission within a single channel, with
minimized interruption or interference40.
Intel
Intel Architecture Labs (IAL) is currently researching UWB technology in order to
better understand its benefits, limitations, and technical challenges when used for
high-rate communications.
One of the important aspects in this case is the fact that the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) is currently working on setting emissions
limits that would allow UWB communication systems to be deployed on an
unlicensed basis. This rule change would allow UWB-enabled devices to overlay
existing narrowband systems, which is currently not allowed, and result in a
much more efficient use of the available spectrum. Devices could, in essence, fill
in the unused portions of the frequency spectrum in any particular location.
These recent developments by the FCC have given Intel a unique opportunity to
develop equipment that could potentially take advantage of the vast amount of
usable spectrum that exists in the wireless space, and that could provide an
40 Fantasma Networks, Overview, News and Press Releases
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engine to drive the future high-rate applications that are being conceived
throughout this industry.
Intel has identified several areas that show the promise of UWB for use in high-
rate, short to medium-range communications. These include potential low-cost
implementations, low-power consumption due to limits on transmit power spectral
density, high output afforded by the wide occupied bandwidth, accurate position
location that can be combined with communications capabilities, and favorable
multi-path fading robustness due to the nature of the short impulse. However,
there are still challenges in making this technology live up to its full potential. The
regulatory process is still in motion. Intel is involved in helping the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) identify emission limits favorable to Ultra-
Wideband (UWB) systems that allow them to be competitive within the
marketplace, while at the same time not allowing them to cause an unacceptable
level of interference for other wireless services that happen to be sharing the
same frequency band. The FCC regulations are just a first step in this process,
and it is anticipated that standardization will be needed in the future to help make
this technology ubiquitous in the consumer market41.
In addition, Intel has identified three main areas that are important for helping
UWB make the best use of this newly available spectrum. First, as discussed
previously, a reliable model is critical for helping to predict performance as well
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as for optimizing the physical design. In this regard, Intel is actively engaging the
industry to help determine a reliable model that systems engineers can use to
help study the performance of UWB systems. Second, Intel is investigating
several receiver designs that will help to improve the robustness and long-term
viability of this technology. This includes the ability to capture the significant
amount of energy that will be present in the multiple reflections caused by the
channel, and mechanisms for suppressing the narrowband interference that will
typically be seen in this type of overlay environment. Finally, Intel is investigating
the feasibility for high-level silicon integration in order to yield a very low-cost and
low-power solution42.
41
Intel Technology Journal, Ultra Wideband Technology for Short or Medium Range Wireless
Communications, Available at http://developer.intel.com/technology/itj/q22001/articles/art_4.htm (visited
on 11/09/2001)42 Intel Technology Journal, Ultra Wideband Technology for Short or Medium Range Wireless
Communications
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4. Potential Markets and Applications
Potential Markets for Ultra Wideband Technology
The potential markets for UWB can be broadly classified into three areas:
Communications, Radar and Tracking. We will now be discussing each of these
in a little more detail.
Communications
UWB technology provides reliable high speed and high performance wireless
networks transmitting megabits of information for many new wireless
applications. UWB technology can support high data rate links at very low power
levels. Communications products will benefit from Ultra Wideband Technologys
excellent performance in multipath reflective environments (such as inside
buildings and other highly cluttered areas), and high bandwidth, multi-channel
performance. UWB communications applications include: in-building
communications systems, indoor broadband cellular phones, private radios, and
wireless broadband Internet access43.
Some of the uses of Ultra Wideband Technology in communications are:
43 Time Domain Corporation, Applications of Ultra Wideband Technology, Available at
www.ero.dk/EROWEB/SRD/UWB/Time%20Domain/Tech%20Overview%20400-0001%20A.pdf(visited
on 10/13/2001)
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A Smart Home environment providing mobile connectivity for all fixed and
mobile "smart home" appliances such as computers, security systems,
PDA's and gaming, and televisions and stereos. Home systems can be
provided with high bandwidth, low power links.
Wireless Networks supplying short- range indoor data and video
communications without multipath interference.
Indoor Wireless Communications transmitting voice, data, and video --
not susceptible to multipath and not impairing the performance of existing
devices.
Rural Access Systems supplying wireless self-configuring networks that
bring voice and data direct to users in remote areas44.
Radar
Ultra Wideband technology enables high performance, high-resolution radar
systems. Radars using UWB technology can be range gated, have excellent
clutter rejection, possess the highest resolution at the lowest possible frequency,
attain excellent penetration results, and can function as both imagers and motion
sensors. Unlike today's infrared and Doppler radars, UWB security sensors
cannot be evaded - even a stealthy target would be detected! Radar applications
44 Time Domain Corporation, Applications of Ultra Wideband Technology
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Ultra Wideband Technology's use of an ultra precise positioning system can
provide seamless indoor and outdoor tracking for many applications. Devices
using UWB technology fuse tracking and communications into a single device
and can measure both distance and position with an accurate positioning range
of less than one inch. The technology's advanced time resolution and the pulse
nature of the transmitted signal result in exceptional multipath resistance.
Examples of UWB precision tracking applications include: personnel and asset
tracking for increased safety and security, location-based content delivery
systems, and mobility-based commerce capabilities
47
.
Ultra Wideband Technology uses in real time tracking are:
Locator Beacons aiding Emergency 911 services and tracking mobile
inventory with highly accurate 3-D asset tracking.
Indoor Tracking and Communication with children, elderly, co-workers
and fire and rescue teams.
Precision Navigation devices improving the safety and performance of
vehicles and agricultural and industrial equipment.
Precision Location devices supporting public safety, military and rescue
teams.
47 Time Domain Corporation, Applications of Ultra Wideband Technology
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Ranging Instruments determining precise distances between objects for
precision surveying and measurement48.
Appl ications of Ultra Wideband Technology
The following are some examples of products that use Ultra Wideband
Technology and its various applications.
Exhibit 2: Applications of UWB Technology
Communications Applications Radar Applications
Ultra Wideband Handheld Transceiver HummingbirdUWB Altimeter and Collision Avoidance Sensor
Radio for non line-of-sight communications UWB Backup Sensor
Radio for Digital Voice and DataUWB Electronic License Plate
Compressed Video RadioX-Band UWB Fuse Sensor
Ultra Wideband Tag and Tag ReaderUWB Through-The- Wall Intrusion Sensor
UWB TransceiversRadar Collision Avoidance
UWB Wireless Intercom Communications System
UWB TacticalAd Hoc Wireless Networks
UWB Precision Geolocation Communication Transceiver
Ultra Wideband Handheld Transceiver - This was designed for full duplex
voice and data transmission at rates of up to 128 kb/s (CVSD) and 115.2 kb/s
(RS232). The radio has an operational center frequency in L-band (1.5 GHz) with
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an instantaneous bandwidth of 400 MHz (27% fractional BW). Peak power output
from the UWB transceiver was measured at 2.0 Watts, with a resultant average
power (worst case) of 640 mW. This results in a worst-case power density of 1.6
pW/Hz. These units have a range of approximately 1 to 2 km (with small
antennas shown and line-of-sight), and an extended range of 10 to 20 miles with
small gain antennas49.
Radio for non line-of-sight communications This radio was designed for
non line-of-sight communications utilizing surface or ground wave propagation.
To excite such propagation modes, the frequency of operation needs to be well
below 100 MHz. Thus, this system was designed to operate in the frequency
band from 30 to 50 MHz (50% fractional BW) and utilized a peak power output of
approximately 35 Watts50.
Radio for Digital Voice and Data - this radio is capable of both digital voice and
data transmission to 128 kb/s and had an operational range over water of
approximately 10 miles using a standard SINCGARS (30-88 MHz) VHF military
antenna. Operational range over land depended upon terrain, but was observed
to be from 1 to 5 miles with intervening foliage, buildings and hills. [Multipath
cancellation is a serious problem over water, even with UWB impulse technology,
49 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems, Available at http://www.multispectral.com/pdf/UWBApplications.pdf (visited
on 02/22/2002)
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because of the typically low grazing angles (resulting in small differential delays
between direct and reflected paths) and strong, out-of- phase reflection from the
water surface]. Also unique to the receiver design is the addition of anti-jam
circuitry to prevent loss of sensitivity due to strong, in-band interferers commonly
observed in this frequency range51.
Compressed Video Radio This is a high-speed (up to 25 Mb/s) UWB radio
designed for transmission of compressed video and command & control
information across an asymmetric, bi-directional link. This system was also
designed to operate in the 1.3 to 1.7 GHz region (27% fractional BW) with a 4W
peak power output. An earlier design, developed under funding from the U.S.
Defense Advanced research Projects Agency (DARPA), operated with a 500
MHz instantaneous bandwidth in the C-band region (5.4 to 5.9 GHz). The
ultimate goal of this design is to provide for up to 60 nautical miles, line-of-sight
transmission to/from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A small parabolic dish
antenna was used at the ground platform52.
Ultra Wideband Tag & Tag Reader- This system, dubbed Vehicular Electronic
Tagging and Alert System (VETAS), was designed for the U.S. Department of
Transportation to provide a means for keeping problem drivers (i.e., drivers who
have repeated been convicted of traffic accidents or violations due to driving
50
Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems51 Ibid52 Ibid
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while under the influence of alcohol) off the road. The concept was to tag the
vehicle with a device, which relays a picture of the driver, together with
information on the driver and the vehicle, to a roadside sensor in a police vehicle.
The tag would be installed in lieu of impounding the vehicle or placing the
convicted driver in jail. Ultra wideband technology was considered for this
application because of its ability to transmit large amounts of data at high speed
in a mobile, multipath-prone environment. The UWB tag operated in the L-band
region (1.4 to 1.65 GHz) and had a peak output power of approximately 250 mW
for a demonstrated range of over 300 meters. The image of the driver was stored
as a compressed J PEG file, together with additional ASCII data, in EEPROM and
periodically transmitted at a 400 kb/s burst rate to a UWB receiver with display.
The tag operated off of two AAA batteries (3.0V) and, in an operational scenario,
was mounted behind the front grill of the automobile53.
UWB transceivers These were designed for the U.S. Navy to provide a
wireless intercom capability on-board Navy aircraft. The prototype UWB
transceivers provide multichannel, full duplex, 32 kb/s digital voice over a range
of approximately 100 meters. An ultra wideband waveform was selected because
of its ability to operate in severe multipath (created by multiple RF reflections
inside and around aircraft), and because of its non-interfering, low probability of
intercept signature54.
53
Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems54 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems
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UWB Wireless Intercom Communications System (WICS) Current
intercommunications systems (ICS) designs for aircraft utilize lengthy, and often
unwieldy, cords to physically attach the crewmans headset to a distributed audio
(intercom) system. Such physical attachment presents a safety hazard to
personnel, impedes movement throughout the platform and reduces mission
effectiveness. Replacement of these mechanical tethers with wireless RF links is
a desirable alternative. Frequency of operation for the WICS transceivers is
again in the L-band region (1.2 to 1.8 GHz). One of the unique features of the
WICS design is the use of a frequency division multiplex, time division multiple
access (FDM/TDMA) strategy for full duplex, multi-user operation. Because of
the extremely short duration pulsewidths and resulting low energy densities,
UWB systems are much less vulnerable to intercept and attack than conventional
RF communications systems. As a consequence, they also minimize interference
with other on-board electronics, such as sensitive flight control systems, GPS,
etc. With an extremely low duty cycle, a very low power drain can be achieved,
thereby providing communications capability for mission life exceeding 12 hours.
The WICS program has recently received additional funding to further improve
and miniaturize the design55.
55 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems
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UWB TacticalAd Hoc Wireless Networks - One of the most recent applications
of UWB communications technology is to the development of highly mobile,
multi-node, ad hoc wireless communications networks. Such a system is
currently under development for the U.S. Department of Defense. The system is
designed to provide a secure, low probability of intercept and detection. The
UWB ad hoc wireless network has the capability to support encrypted voice/data
(to 128 kb/s) and high-speed video (1.544 Mb/s T1) transmissions56.
A parallel effort, currently funded by the Office of Naval Research under a Dual
Use Science and Technology (DUS&T) effort is developing a state-of-the-art,
mobile ad hoc network (MANET) based upon an Internet Protocol (IP) suite to
provide a connectionless, multihop, packet switching solution for survivable
communications in a high link failure environment. The thrust of the DUS&T effort
is toward commercialization of UWB technology for applications to high-speed
(20+ Mb/s) wireless applications for the home and business57.
UWB Precision Geolocation System Transceiver - A UWB application that
bridges the gap between communications and radar is that of precision
geolocation. There is a system designed to provide 3-dimensional location
information utilizing a set of untethered UWB beacons and an untethered, mobile
UWB rover. Precision location is derived from round trip, time-of-flight
56 Ibid57 Ibid
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measurements using packet burst transmissions from the UWB rover and
beacon transponders. This system utilizes 2.5 ns, 4-Watt peak, and UWB pulse,
again operating in the 1.3 to 1.7 GHz region. Line-of-sight range for the system is
better than 2 kilometers utilizing small, omni directional vertically polarized
(smaller) or circularly polarized (larger) antennas. Within a building, the range
becomes limited by wall and obstacle attenuation; however, ranges exceeding
100 meters inside have been attained. A unique feature of the system is the
ability to detect the pulse leading edge through the use of a charge sensitive,
tunnel diode detector. Leading edge detection is critical to the resolution of the
direct path from the plethora of multipath returns produced from internal
reflections58.
The UWB geolocation system was originally developed to permit a soldier to
determine his or her position to within 1-foot resolution in an urban environment.
It is currently being used to augment a video capture system for 3-D modeling,
and for materiel location onboard a Navy ship59.
Hummingbird UWB Altimeter and Collision Avoidance Sensor This is an
ultra wideband system designed as a precision altimeter and obstacle/collision
avoidance sensor. Originally developed for the U.S. Marine Corps' Hummingbird
unmanned aerial vehicle, the sensor has proved capable of detecting small
58 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems
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diameter (0.25" or 6.35 mm) suspended wires to ranges beyond 250 feet. With a
peak output power of only 0.2 Watts, the system operates in the C-band region
from 5.4 to 5.9 GHz (8.9% fractional BW) and has an average output power at 10
kpps of less than 4 mW. Range resolution of the radar was better than one foot
utilizing the leading edge detection capability60.
For the Hummingbird application, the system incorporated a linear forward-
looking phased array, and broad beamwidth side-looking antennas, for use in
autonomous control. Interestingly, a predecessor ofHummingbird was developed
for the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command as a multifunction precision altimeter,
collision avoidance sensor and low data rate communications system. A 1-Watt
version of the radar operated as a precision (1 foot resolution) radar altimeter to
an altitude of better than 5000 feet. Several variants of the Hummingbird radar
have also been developed61.
.
UWB Backup Sensor - Operating with approximately 250 MW peak in the C-
band region from 5.4 to 5.9 GHz, the backup sensor utilizes a dual antenna
configuration for the detection of objects as close as 1 foot to beyond 350 feet
from the vehicle. Ultra wideband provides a significant advantage for this
application because of the ability to provide precision range gating to eliminate
59
Ibid60 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems61 Ibid
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clutter, which, with conventional Doppler-based sensors, often results in large
false alarm rates. This sensor was developed for the National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health62.
UWB Electronic License Plate - Another variant of the Hummingbird collision
avoidance sensor was developed as part of an electronic license plate for the
U.S. National Academy of Sciences' Transportation Research Board The UWB
Electronic License Plate provides a dual function capability for both automobile
collision avoidance and RF tagging for vehicle to roadside communications.
Collision avoidance functions are achieved with a miniature, 500 MHz bandwidth
C-band UWB radar; and RF tagging functions are accomplished with a low
power, 250 MHz bandwidth L-band system63.
The UWB C-band radar utilized a 0.2W peak power (4 mW average) waveform to
achieve a range of better than 100 feet against other vehicles, with an accuracy
of better than 1 foot. The L-band tag operated with a 0.3W peak power (500 mW
average) packet burst transmission to achieve a data throughput of 128 kb/s over
a range exceeding 800 feet. An ultra wideband solution was chosen for the
Electronic License Plate because of its precision ranging capability (radar mode)
and high multipath immunity (tag mode)64.
62
Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems63 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems64 Ibid
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X-band UWB Fuse Sensor- This prototype sensor was developed for the U.S.
Army Missile Command as a low probability of intercept and detection (LPI/D),
anti-jam, radar proximity sensor for medium caliber, small caliber and
submunition applications. The system exhibited an operational bandwidth of 2.5
GHz with a 10 GHz center frequency. Specifically designed for very short-range
applications (less than 6 feet), the UWB sensor has a 6-inch range resolution65.
UWB Through-the-wall Intrusion Sensor This is a UWB intrusion sensor
radar, which was designed for through-the- wall penetration. With an L-band
operational frequency and 33% fractional bandwidth, this system utilizes a 1-Watt
peak UWB waveform to detect personnel through several intervening walls.
Broad area surveillance coverage was provided for both in-building and outdoor
field environments. An extended range system was also developed to detect and
track human targets at distances exceeding 1000 feet66.
Radar Collision Avoidance - To suit radar, collision avoidance, and potentially
synthetic vision, requirements in flight, the same types of impulses can be used
to accurately measure scattered components in an environment better than
conventional radar. UWB technology has been used for decades for ground-
65
Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems66 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems
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penetrating radar, and one company is even able to locate striations of gold 20
feet into rock. Dolphins naturally emit echolocation impulses similar to UWB
waveforms to navigate in unclear waters, and have even located a meal buried a
several feet under a sandy sea bottom. UWB radar also has the capability to
range gate impulse returns, enabling them to ignore returns from close objects
(like a wall, boulder, etc) and effectively see through these objects to image the
environment on the other side67.
UWB collision avoidance systems have already been employed in support of
DARPAs Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) program, at least one company demonstrating
a capability for an autonomous flying vehicle to detect and avoid objects as small
as a 0.25 wire in the flight path. This technology could be enhanced to provide
an autonomous flight vehicle with this capability, as well as a real-time synthetic
view of the environment in any direction, and avoidance of other vehicles in flight.
With additional special processing, such a system could be used in conjunction
with the intercraft positioning processing to synchronize formation or cluster flight
arrangements68.
67 Robert Fontana, Multispectral Solutions Recent Applications of Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems68 Ibid
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5. Ultra Wideband Technology and Policy
DARPAs Assessment of Ultra Wideband Technology
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of
the Secretary of Defense set up a committee to review UWB technologies and
applications. They convened the Ultra Wideband Radar Review Panel to
examine state of the art and potential performance benefits and limitations of
UWB, with particular focus on radar applications. The panel was also charged
with identifying and prioritizing UWB research to be pursued and exploited. The
panel worked mainly on radar applications of Ultra Wideband Technology.
The panel found that essentially all the interest and claims for the versatility and
usefulness of UWB radars was in the area of impulse radar implementation,
which generates its radiated energy through applying a very short pulse to the
antenna. The interest in these types of radars has centered on claims involving
counter stealth, Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) and detection of relocatable
targets in camouflage and foliage. There has also been some controversy about
whether standard analytical tools were either inappropriate or inadequate to deal
with impulse radar issues69
.
69
Charles Fowler, John Entzminger, James Corum, DARPA- Assessment of Ultra Wideband Technology
A Report, Available at
http://umunhum.stanford.edu/~morf/ss/ss/UWB_CDROM_1/PAPERS/REPORT.PDF ( visited on
10/3/2001)
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The panel found that claims on the uniqueness of the properties and
performance capabilities of impulse radars were overrated and in some respects,
false. The panel did not find much theoretical or experimental evidence at
frequencies or operating ranges of any interest to the military. But the panel also
found that there were a lot of applications where the combination of high
resolution and low frequency is desirable, most notably, terrain profiling and earth
penetration as well as foliage penetration and low surveillance. The panel
indicated that these applications should be pursued in greater detail. The panel
suggested that impulse radar probably represents the most cost effective solution
for terrain profiling and ground probing activities70.
The panel concluded that in terms of counter stealth, the impulse radar is not
inherently anti-stealth and it does not have any unique advantages in this
respect. Also, the panel observed that impulse radar has no special LPI
characteristics and is easily detectable by an appropriately designed intercept
receiver. The panel also concluded that all the applications presented could be
implemented by alternative non-impulse techniques and there was no application
on which only impulse radar could work. It also concluded that available analysis
tools were completely adequate and appropriate for dealing rigorously with
impulse radar performance71.
But the panel also made the following recommendations; -
70 Ibid71 Ibid
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It recommended that the Department of Defense analyses of point designs for
four UWB radar applications that seem to have important military implications
- A short range system for detecting moving target behind walls or
foliage
- A short range airborne imaging radar for detecting military targets
under canopy or in wooded terrain
- A medium range air defense radar for detection identification of
airborne targets including helicopters in the tree line
- A medium range radar for detection of sea skimming missiles in fleet
defense applications72
The panel also recommended that the Department of Defense fund two other
studies relevant to UWB to help the point analyses
- A review and analysis of the clutter behavior of UWB radar systems
- An analysis that characterizes the range and angle pattern of UWB
linear and planer antenna rays73
Thus, in conclusion, though the panel did not see any significant scientific
breakthrough for military applications with UWB, it did feel that the technology
72
Charles Fowler, John Entzminger, James Corum, DARPA- Assessment of Ultra Wideband Technology
A Report73 Charles Fowler, John Entzminger, James Corum, DARPA- Assessment of Ultra Wideband
Technology A Report
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was interesting and should be pursued, as it could be efficient and cost effective
in the long run74.
FAAs Issues with Ultra Wideband Technology
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been involved in an issue
regarding ultra-wideband technology. The UWB systems of interest at the
present time are generally those systems that are low-powered and use very
narrow pulses or impulses that generate a very wide bandwidth, greater than
25% of the center frequency. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is
modifying their Part 15 rules for unlicensed, low-powered devices, which would
allow UWB devices to be operated across radio spectrum that is used for
international civil aviation safety-related systems75.
In its memorandum to its members, the FAA states that the proponents of UWB
technology believe that this technology could have enormous benefits for public
safety, consumers and businesses. Furthermore, UWB technology could create
new business opportunities for manufacturers, distributors and vendors that will
enhance market competition and enhance the economy. It is believed that UWB
technology may enable increased use of scarce spectrum resources when
sharing among conventional narrowband technology is not feasible. It is claimed
74
Ibid75 RTCA Special Committee, Ultra Wideband Technology Radio Frequency Interference Effects to GPS
and Interference Scenario Development Available at http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/policy/gps/interim1.pdf
(visited on 02/19/2002)
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that UWB communication devices will be able to transmit very high data rates
over short distances without being affected by multi-path interference. The UWB
radar imaging devices may have application in the automotive industry, for
example for collision avoidance and air bag deployment. Public safety personnel
could use the devices to see through walls in hostage situations or to locate
people trapped by fire. Field disturbance devices can be used for security.
Ground-penetrating radar can be used to detect faults in a roadbed. The
application will dictate where a UWB device operates in the spectrum76.
The FAA also states that the impact of UWB systems on aeronautical systems is
not well understood at this time. The NTIA has completed two studies - one is on
spectral characteristics of UWB signals, and the other is on the compatibility
between UWB devices and selected federal systems. The results of the latter
report reveal that depending on signal structure, separation distance, and height
of the UWB device, UWB devices can interfere with various aeronautical
systems. For the scenarios evaluated, the non-GNSS aeronautical systems that
could be affected are distance measuring equipment (DME), air traffic control
radar beacon system, air route surveillance radars, airport surveillance radar,
microwave landing system, terminal Doppler weather radar, and search and
rescue satellite land user terminals. NTIA released its report on GPS, however it
did not include results for a civil aviation GPS receiver for en-route and non-
precision approaches. That GPS receiver will be included in an addendum to the
76 Aviation Week, International Civil Aviation Authority Ultra Wideband Technology Available at
http://www.aviationnow.com/content/publication/b_ca/bca.htm (visited on 02/19/2002)
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report later. The preliminary results from the NTIA GPS report shows that UWB
overlay with GPS will be challenging and require UWB signal structure
dependent regulations and restrictions to ensure compatibility. Preliminary
analyses and tests by the DOT have shown that interference to GPS receivers
can occur from even a single UWB device. The DOT has also published a report
on GPS receivers including an aeronautical receiver for precision approaches
and landings. Preliminary results of these tests are similar to the results obtained
by NTIA77.
The private sector has also performed GPS/UWB tests. The raw data from the
tests are still being evaluated. The FCC states that it will also consider these
results. The draft question calls for a study of the characteristics of UWB
technology and to assess the impact it may have on civil aviation. The FAA
further states that all member organizations should be aware of this new
technology and take appropriate action to ensure that aviation safety is not
jeopardized if UWB is implemented78.
FCCs View on Ultra Wideband Technology
On May 10, 2000, the Commission adopted a proposal to consider permitting the
operation of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology on an unlicensed basis. The FCC
believed that UWB devices appeared to be able to operate on spectrum already
77 Aviation Week, International Civil Aviation Authority Ultra Wideband Technology78 Aviation Week, International Civil Aviation Authority Ultra Wideband Technology
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occupied by existing radio services without causing interference. Thus, it could
permit scarce spectrum resources to be used more efficiently, a core
responsibility of the Commission in its role as the nations spectrum manager.
The FCC did understand and appreciate the useful implications of the use of
UWB. In their report, they stated that recent advances in UWB technology have
resulted in its potential use for a variety of applications such as radar imaging of
objects buried under the ground or behind walls or hidden flaws in airport
runways or highways and short-range, high-speed data transmissions suitable for
broadband access to the Internet. Other radar systems could be used as fluid
level sensors in difficult-to-measure situations such as oil refinery tanks and other
storage tanks. UWB communications devices can also be used by police, fire
and rescue personnel to provide covert secure communications and to detect
people hidden behind walls or covered with debris, such as from an earthquake.
UWB devices can be used for a variety of communications applications involving
the transmission of very high data rates over short distances without interference.
Such devices can be used to distribute wirelessly services such as phone, cable
and computer networking throughout a building or home79.
In its consideration of proposals for the authorization of UWB technology, the
Commission has committed to ensuring that safety services, such as the Global
Positioning System (GPS), are protected against harmful interference. To ensure
79 Communications Convergence.com, FCC Consideration of Ultra Wideband Technology, Available at
http://www.cconvergence.com/article/COM20020215S0001 (visited on 10/03/2001)
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this protection, the Commission noted that further testing and analysis would be
needed before UWB technology could be authorized to operate in the bands
used for these services. The Commission stressed, in particular, the need for
further testing and analysis in bands below 2 GHz. It said such testing is already
being planned by a number of organizations, including the Department of
Transportation and the National Telecommunications Information Administration.
The Commission noted that it would provide ample opportunity to complete these
tests and ensure that the analysis of the test results are submitted in the record
for public comment before adopting any final rules
80
.
More recently, the FCC just voted on and passed an authorization to remove the
cap on the amount of spectrum owned by any particular service or carrier. This
would probably be another step in the direction of allowing the widespread use of
Ultra Wideband technology.
80 Ibid
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6. Regulatory Policy for Ultra Wideband Technology
The existing rules for unlicensed devices were developed for devices using
conventional narrowband technology and did not address UWB devices.
Paragraph 15.209 of Volume 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations establishes
the rules for the radiated emission limits of devices that can be authorized as
unlicensed intentional radiators. Intentional radiating unlicensed devices are not
permitted to transmit signals in any of the 64 restricted bands, which occupy a
total of 13.283 GHz of the spectrum between 90 kHz and 36.5 GHz, because of
potentially harmful effects to critical radio services operating in them. Although
UWB device output powers are often low enough to operate under these
regulations, their bandwidths are so wide that most emit portions of their signal
within the restricted bands. Moreover, operation of many proposed UWB devices
under current Part 15 rules was made difficult because they used to seek to
operate with much higher peak powers than the rules permitted. Revision of the
current rules was required before UWB devices, as must be the case with any
new system or technology, whether licensed or unlicensed, could be
accommodated compatibly with existing systems in the electromagnetic
environment81.
81 Spectrum Management Program, Regulations for use of Ultra Wideband Technology, Available at
http://cio.doe.gov/spectrum/UWBregs.htm (visited on 02/15/2002)
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NTIA and the FCC are working closely with both the UWB community and the
operators of conventional radio communication equipment they authorize and
license, to identify under what conditions UWB devices can operate without
causing unacceptable interference to authorized and licensed radio services. To
this end, the FCC initiated a formal proceeding that has included a Notice of
Inquiry to gather information from the interested parties on UWB devices and
their potential impact on conventional devices and a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking to examine proposed rules for the regulation of UWB devices. NTIA,
meanwhile, has conducted a series of measurements and analyses for
characterizing and assessing the impact of UWB devices on selected Federal
equipment operating between 400 and 6000 MHz, which includes 18 bands and
a total of 2502.7 MHz of restricted spectrum. The results include practical
methods for characterizing UWB systems and providing the information needed
to estimate or measure their potential to interfere with existing radio
communications or sensing systems82.
This report shows that operation of UWB devices is feasible in portions of the
spectrum between about 3.1 and 5.650 GHz at heights of about 2 meters with
some operating constraints. UWB operations at greater heights between 3.1 and
5.650 GHz and near low elevation angle 4 GHz FSS earth stations may have to
be constrained with respect to such factors as spectral output power, amount of
operating time, and quantity of units operating in any area. Operations of UWB
devices below 3.1 GHz will be quite challenging and any policy developed
82
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needed to consider the results of the analyses of interactions of GPS and UWB
systems underway at NTIA and other facilities. While the study showed that
aggregate UWB interference could be a significant factor to receiving systems
under ideal propagation conditions, a number of mitigating factors were also to
be taken into account to reduce or eliminate these aggregate affects83.
Any radio frequency use must be authorized by either the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) or the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) prior to operation. NTIA regulation for
determining whether a radio station is under the control of the Federal
Government, and thus must be authorized by NTIA, is contained in Section
8.2.17 of the NTIA Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio
Frequency Management (NTIA Manual). NTIA regulations require that Federal
agencies first obtain approval for major spectrum systems from NTIA, prior to
submitting a request to the Frequency Assignment Subcommittee (FAS)84.
On February 14, 2002, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) adopted
a First Report and Order that permitted the marketing and operation of certain
types of new products incorporating ultra-wideband technology. They claimed
that UWB technology holds great promise for a vast array of new applications
that have the potential to provide significant benefits for public safety, businesses
and consumers in a variety of applications such as radar imagin