Wireless Communication

Chapter: Network Concepts and Standards
Section: Data and Multimedia Systems, Wireless LANs, Windflex


 

Alternative technologies

 

WIND-FLEX system aims at solving the future capacity demand for high bit rate and high capacity per user in the short range and can therefore be proposed as the solution for next generation wireless personal area networking. Other technologies targeting the same performances objectives are either making use of much wider bandwidth in the low frequency regions (i.e. Ultra Wide Band (UWB)) or at even higher frequencies (i.e. 60 GHz). As far as benchmarking with UWB is concerned, results of preliminary theoretical comparisons between the two technologies are reported in the table herewith.

By that it can be inferred that the two technologies offer similar performances in terms of maximum capacity and spatial efficiency though, because of their intrinsic nature, providing very different figures in terms of power efficiency (much higher for UWB) and spectral efficiency (much higher for WIND-FLEX).

Given the comparable global systems performances, the WIND-FLEX technology offers the added values of keeping backward compatibility with all OFDM systems (where due to significant investments made so far there is considerable know-how), of not requiring significant design challenges on the RF design (as in UWB), of not producing any harmful interferences on other existing technologies, due to the limited portion of unoccupied spectrum used.

As far as the benchmarking with 60 GHz technologies are concerned, the main reason to explore this bandwidth for high bit rate (fixed) wireless access technologies was driven by the high attenuation produced by the oxygen absorption in that range, considered an enabler for easier and more dense frequency reuse. In an indoor environment those propagation characteristics are not exploited being propagation actually limited by obstruction (i.e. walls), moreover the 60GHz propagation require full LOS, not suitable for mobile/nomadic purposes. Another obvious consideration is the much higher RF/IF front-end cost that doesn't make this technology suitable for low cost/consumer applications.

Status and next steps

The WIND-FLEX technology, thanks to combination of high data rate, high spatial efficiency, flexible design and dynamic adaptivity and reconfigurability features at all layers represents one amongst the most attracting candidate option for next generation short-range wireless networking standardization.

A WIND-FLEX proof-of-concept demonstrator is under development and, by Q103 will integrate significant part of WIND-FLEX specifications. A first prototype of the WIND-FLEX demonstrator will be available by end of Q202 and will be shown at Philips Corporate Research Exhibition (Eindhoven, The Netherlands, May02) and at IST Summit on Mobile Communications (Thessaloniki, Greece, Jun02).

The WIND-FLEX consortium, due to its current technological competitive advantage, is open to look for most suitable business ownerships and industry support, in order to identify accordingly most profitable business exploitation path and get proper critical mass to address and solve regulatory and standardization issues.

 

 

 

References

  1. WIND-FLEX project public website: http://www.vtt.fi/ele/research/els/projects/windflex.htm
  2. High Bit Rate Adaptive WIND-FLEX Modem Architecture for Wireless Ad-Hoc Networking in Indoor Environments, I.Saarinen, G.Coppola et al., IST Mobile & Wireless Telecommunications Summit 2002, June 2002, Thessaloniki, Greece
  3. WIND-FLEX Internal document RFC-23, WIND-FLEX value proposition and relevant options for exploitation and standardization strategies, G.Coppola, L.Camiciotti.
  4. ETSI TR 101 031 v1.1.1 (1997-07) Radio Equipment and Systems (RES); High Performance Radio Local Area Networks (HIPERLAN); Requirements and Architectures for Wireless ATM Access and Interconnection.
  5. CEPT T/R 22-06 Harmonized Radio Frequency Bands for High Performance Radio Local Area Networks (HIPERLAN) in the 5 GHz and 17 GHz frequency range.
  6. ITU Study Groups, Documents 8A-9B/58-E, 28 September 1998 "Spectrum aspects of fixed wireless Access
  7. WIND-FLEX Deliverable D4.1 "Design and performance of modulation and diversity algorithms"
  8. WIND-FLEX Deliverable D4.2 "Requirements and specification for the DSP core"
  9. R.P. Torres, L. Valle, M. Domingo, S. Loredo, M.C. Diez, "CINDOOR: An Engineering Tool for Planning and Design of Wireless Systems in Enclosed Spaces".. IEEE Antennas and propagation Magazine, Vol. 41, No. 4, August 1999.
  10. Manuel Lobeira, Ana García Armada, Rafael Torres, José Luis García,"Channel modelling and characterisation at 17 GHz for indoor broadband WLAN", IEEE JSAC- Channel and Propagation models for Wireless Design. To be published in the second quarter of 2002.
  11. M. Lobeira, I. Singla, J.L. García, "Non Linearities, Phase Noise and Interference Influence on High Bit Rate 17 GHz Modem", in Proceedings of IST Mobile Summit 2001, Barcelona, Paper MOBCS4VVMNA.
  12. R. Cusani, F. Delli Priscoli, G. Ferrari, G. Razzano, M. Torregiani, "Dynamic, channel-status driver, re-configurable Medium Access Control for the WIND FLEX wireless Local Area Network", in Proceedings of IST Mobile Summit 2001, Barcelona.
  13. R. Cusani, M. Torregiani, F. Delli Priscoli and G. Ferrari , "A novel MAC and Scheduling strategy to guarantee QoS for the new-generation WIND-FLEX wireless LAN", accepted for publication on IEEE Pers. Comm. Magazine, special issue on Mobile and Wireless Internet- Architectures and Protocols, 2002.
  14. Lee, W.C.Y., "Mobile Cellular Telecommunications Systems", McGraw Hill Publications, New York, 1989

 

Acknowledgements and contacts

WIND-FLEX is a consortium constituted by industrial and academic companies partly funded by European Commission. This material integrates contributions from all members of WIND-FLEX team. WIND-FLEX project and technology primary contacts are:

 

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