Seminar Report on WPAN

R.C.P.I.T.

Department of Electronics & Telecommunication

1. IntroductionWireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) The market for wireless personal area networks is expanding rapidly. As people use more electronic devices at home and in the office, and with the proliferation of peripherals, a clear need for wireless connectivity between these devices has emerged. Examples of the devices that need to be networked are desktop computers, handheld computers, printers, microphones, speakers, pagers, mobile phones, bar code readers, and sensors. Using cables to connect these devices with a PC and with each other can be a difficult task in a stationary location. When you add mobility into the mix, the challenge becomes daunting. If the setup and administration of a WPAN becomes simple and intuitive in the future for the end user, then the most concrete scenario for WPAN technology is cable replacement. This provides a compelling reason to use WPAN technology, and will open the door for more advanced applications in the future.

Wireless Personal Area Network

Page 1 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


2. Litreture Survey2.1 802.15 802.15 is a specification driven by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to develop consensus standards for short-range wireless networks or wireless personal area networks. It has similar goals to Bluetooth in that it looks to address wireless networking of portable and mobile computing devices such as PCs, PDAs, mobile phones, peripherals, and consumer electronics. The 802.15 WPAN Working Group was established in 1999 as part of the Local and Metropolitan Area Networks Standards Committee of the IEEE. At the time of establishment, the 802.15 WPAN Working Group was aware of the Bluetooth specification and used parts of it as the foundation for the 802.15 standard. The 802.15 WPAN specifications is aimed at standardizing the Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers of Bluetooth, in the attempt to accommodate wider adoption of short-range wireless technology. 802.15 also deals with issues such as coexistence and interoperability within the networks. To accomplish this goal, four task groups have been established, each working on specific components of the 802.15 specification. They are:


Page 2 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


2.1.1 802.15 WPAN Task Group 1: WPAN/Bluetooth. The WPAN Task Group 1 (TG1) has created the WPAN 802.15.1 standard based on the Bluetooth v1.1 specification. To accomplish this, the IEEE licensed technology from the Bluetooth SIG. Specifically, 802.15.1 defines the MAC and PHY specifications for wireless connectivity of devices that are either fixed or portable within the personal computing space. The spec also takes into consideration coexistence requirements with 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) devices. Bluetooth is the base for IEEE Std. 802.15.1-2002 Data rate of 1 Mb/s (2 or 3 Mb/s with enhanced data rate) Robust short range communications


Page 3 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


2.1.2

802.15 WPAN Task Group 2: Coexistence Mechanisms.

The 802.15 WPAN Task Group 2 (TG2) is developing the recommended practices to facilitate the coexistence of WPAN (802.15) and WLAN (802.11) technologies. Part of this task involves developing a coexistence model to quantify the mutual interference of a WPAN and a WLAN. Once approved, this outcome of TG2's work will become the IEEE 802.15.2 specification. Task group two addresses the coexistence of wireless personal area networks (WPAN) with other wireless devices operating in unlicensed frequency bands such as wireless local area networks (WLAN). The IEEE 802.15.2-2003 standard was published in 2003 and task group two went into "hibernation".


Page 4 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


2.1.3

802.15 WPAN Task Group 3: High Rate WPAN.

The 802.15 WPAN Task Group 3 (TG3) is chartered to publish a new standard for highrate (20 Mbps or higher) WPANs. In addition to high data rates, 802.15.3 also has to provide a means for low-power and low-cost solutions to address the needs of portable consumer electronics, digital imaging, and multimedia applications. Task Group 3 First high rate WPAN standard: IEEE Std 802.15.3-2003 (HR-WPAN) Task Group 3a Alternative PHY using UWB Task Group 3b Expected outcome during 2006 Task Group 3c


Page 5 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


2.1.4

802.15 WPAN Task Group 4: Low Rate-Long Battery Life.

The 802.15 WPAN Task Group 4 (TG4) is chartered to establish a low-data-rate (200 Kbps maximum) solution with long battery life (many months to many years) and low complexity. It is intended to operate in an unlicensed international frequency band and is targeted at sensors, interactive toys, smart badges, home automation, and remote controls. 4a (WPAN Low Rate Alternative PHY) 4b (Revision and Enhancement) 4c (PHY Amendment for China) 4d (PHY and MAC Amendment for Japan) 4e (MAC Amendment for Industrial Applications) 4f (PHY and MAC Amendment for Active RFID) 4g (PHY Amendment for Smart Utility Network)


Page 6 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


2.1.5

IEEE 802.15 WPAN Task Group 5 (TG5) PHY and MAC layer mechanisms for mesh networking Mesh topology allows: I. Network coverage extension II. Enhanced reliability via route redundancy III. Easier network configuration IV. Battery life due to fewer retransmissions

The 802.15 specification is still a work in progress as each of the task groups is at different stages in the specification process. TG1 has completed the 802.15.1 specification and has gotten approval from the IEEE Standards Association ( IEEE-SA), while the other groups are still working toward that level. Once completed, the 802.15 WPAN specification will cover all of the current issues surrounding WPAN technology, including Bluetooth compatibility, coexistence with 802.11, high-data transfer rates, and low-power consumption solutions. The combination of all of these will make the IEEE 802.15 specification very attractive for WPAN infrastructure providers.


Page 7 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


3. Theory3.1 Personal Area Network (PAN) A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network used for communication among computer devices, including telephones and personal digital

assistants, in proximity to an individual's body. The devices may or may not belong to the person in question. The reach of a PAN is typically a few meters. PANs can be used for communication among the personal devices themselves (intrapersonal communication), or for connecting to a higher level network and the Internet (an uplink). Personal area networks may be wired with computer buses such as USB and FireWire. A wireless personal area network (WPAN) can also be made possible with wireless network technologies such as IrDA, Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Z-Wave and ZigBee.

3.2 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) A wireless personal area network (WPAN) is a personal area network - a network for interconnecting devices centered around an individual person's workspace - in which the connections are wireless. Typically, a wireless personal area network uses some technology that permits communication within about 10 meters (33 ft) such as Bluetooth, which was used as the basis for a new standard, IEEE 802.15.


Page 8 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


A WPAN could serve to interconnect all the ordinary computing and communicating devices that many people have on their desk or carry with them today - or it could serve a more specialized purpose such as allowing the surgeon and other team members to communicate during an operation. A key concept in WPAN technology is known as "plugging in". In the ideal scenario, when any two WPAN-equipped devices come into close proximity (within several meters of each other) or within a few kilometers of a central server, they can communicate as if connected by a cable. Another important feature is the ability of each device to lock out other devices selectively, preventing needless interference or unauthorized access to information. The technology for WPANs is in its infancy and is undergoing rapid development. Proposed operating frequencies are around 2.4 GHz in digital modes. The objective is to facilitate seamless operation among home or business devices and systems. Every device in a WPAN will be able to plug in to any other device in the same WPAN, provided they are within physical range of one another. In addition, WPANs worldwide will be interconnected. Thus, for example, an archeologist on site in Greece might use a PDA to directly access databases at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and to transmit findings to that database. Its high data rates and low power consumption make it ideal for replacing short wired links. Unfortunately, IEEE standardization of UWB has failed (so far), resulting in two incompatible standards: DS-UWB that was advocated by the UWB Forum; and MBOFDM, advocated by the WiMedia Alliance. The UWB market is still immature, b ut already includes WPAN applications. The early entry into the WPAN paradigm, Bluetooth, has already been widely deployed in hundreds of millions of devices. It offers data rates of up to 3 Mb/s and ranges of up to 100 m, with far lower power consumption than 802.11b. Its middleware layer builds on top of the PHY and MAC layers to provide a high degree of interoperability among Bluetooth-equipped devices. This low power consumption and interoperability guarantee have fueled Bluetooth's acceptance in the WPANs. It is important to note the days of the 802.15.1 radio layer may be numbered. The Bluetooth SIG has recently announced plans to abandon the 802.15.1 PHY and MAC layers in some future version of the Bluetooth standard, and instead to deploy the middleware components on top of a variant of theWireless Personal Area Network Page 9 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


WiMedia UWB standard (though now it is revising this direction in favor of the 802.11n technology). Depending on how the radio stack is implemented, this shift may increase Bluetooth's data rate by many times, cutting power consumption. This report also shows that WPAN technologies are in the process of development and research, and such technologies as NFC and Wibee are examples to this statement. Enhancements of low-powered wireless technologies that we are witnessing in the resent years made it possible to talk even about such transmission environments as a human body (Wireless Body Area Networks-IEEE802.15.6), where information is coded, for example, by changes in the skin characteristics. The report also discusses a variety of WPAN applications: from home automation to homeland security and first responders communications; and examines marketing issues of WPAN and applicable radio technologies that support this class of network. A WPAN (wireless personal area network) is a personal area network - a network for interconnecting devices centered around an individual person's workspace - in which the connections are wireless. Typically, a wireless personal area network uses some technology that permits communication within about 10 meters - in other words, a very short range. One such technology is Bluetooth, which was used as the basis for a new standard, IEEE 802.15. A WPAN could serve to interconnect all the ordinary computing and communicating devices that many people have on their desk or carry with them today - or it could serve a more specialized purpose such as allowing the surgeon and other team members to communicate during an operation. A key concept in WPAN technology is known as plugging in. In the ideal scenario, when any two WPAN-equipped devices come into close proximity (within several meters of each other) or within a few kilo meters of a central server, they can communicate as if connected by a cable. Another important feature is the ability of each device to lock out other devices selectively, preventing needless interference or unauthorized access to information. The technology for WPANs is in its infancy and is undergoing rapid development. Proposed operating frequencies are around 2.4 GHz in digital modes. The objective is to


Page 10 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


facilitate seamless operation among home or business devices and systems. Every device in a WPAN will be able to plug in to any other device in the same WPAN, provided they are within physical range of one another. In addition, WPANs worldwide will be interconnected.


Page 11 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


3.3 Connecting devices Connecting devices allow hardware networking devices to communicate with each other. The three kinds of wireless technologies are Bluetooth, infrared, and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).

3.3.1 Bluetooth Bluetooth uses short-range radio waves over distances up to approximately 10 meters. For example, Bluetooth devices such as keyboards, pointing devices, audio head sets, printers may connect to Personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, or computers wirelessly.

3.3.2 Infrared Infrared communications (IR) or IrDA (Infrared Data Association) uses infrared light, which has a frequency below the human eye's sensitivity. It is used in cell phones and TV remote controls. Typical devices include printers, keyboards, and other serial data interfaces

3.3.3 WiFi WiFi (wireless fidelity) uses radio waves for connection over distances up to around 91 meters, usually in a local area network (LAN) environment. Wifi can be used to connect local area networks, to connect cell phones to the Internet to download music and other multimedia, to allow PC multimedia content to be stream to the TV (Wireless Multimedia Adapter), and to connect video game consoles to their networks (Nintendo WiFi Connection).


Page 12 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


3.4 WPAN Standards Many standards are available for personal area networks. Each standard has strengths and weaknesses, making it suitable for specific application scenarios. In some cases, more than one technology will be able to perform a required task, hence nontechnical factors such as cost and availability will factor into the decision as to which technology is more appropriate. Here we take a look at the leading standards in this space. The information provided will give you a solid understanding about where each standard is being used and for what purposes.


Page 13 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


3.5 WPAN Working Group


Page 14 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


4. Future Scope4.1 Motivation of using Mesh in WPAN Short range/coverage of WPAN Multi hop connection

Connectivity & reliability Route redundancy

Self-organization & ease of use Fast network

Power limitation of battery powered devices Short transmission range & fewer retransmission

Multimedia performance Higher throughput Better QoS support


Page 15 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


4.2 Applications for Mesh-WPAN Cable replacement Multimedia home network Interconnection PC & peripherals

Mobility oriented Interconnection among handheld devices Temporarily & rapidly set-up mesh network Indoor location based services Sensor networks


Page 16 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


4.3 Temporarily and rapidly set-up mesh network Portable devices & handhelds VoIP ,Video (emergency event) Desktop sharing (Net meeting)

Meeting room Outdoor environment Mesh for Range Extension Reliability

Cable replacement (designed to replace the corresponding wired system) Long distance & vast broadcast (satellite, microwave relay & TV radio broadcast) Home network (high speed video, audio streaming, cordless telephone) Office network (internet access, file sharing, media streaming) Public internet access (hotspot access points) Connections among PC & peripherals (wireless USB, wireless 1394, HID)

Mobility oriented (can not be replaced by wired systems) Interconnection of handheld devices (PDA, handheld) User location based service (cell phone, GPS, indoor location based service) Ad hoc network for public security & group events (emergency rescue, temporary meeting environment, tourism group)Remote control & monitor system (sensor network)


Page 17 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


5. Conclusion IEEE 802.15 WPAN Work Group was introduced WPAN standards under active development o Increasing data rates to be expected o Low per consumption o Self-configuring networks o Coexistence of 802.11 is an issue Future WPAN interests mm- wave systems (@ 60 GHz) Mesh networks (relaying)


Page 18 of 19

R.C.P.I.T.


6. References[1] The telecommunications illustrated dictionary(2nd), Julie K. Petersen, May 2006 [2] Handbook of Emerging Communications Technologies: The Next Decade, Saba Zamir, March 2003 [3] Handbook of neural network signal processing, Yu Hen Hu, Jenq-Neng Hwang, 2002 [4] The handbook of Ad hoc wireless networks, Mohammad llyas, Dec. 2006 [5] Ed Callaway, Motorola, ZigBee Tutorial, Mohammad IIyas, Hussein T. Mouftah, July 2003 [6] Wireless internet handbook-technologies, standards, and applications, Borko Furht, Mohammad Iiyas, 2003 [7] Solutions manual- Microwave and RF design of wireless systems, David M. Pozar, Feb. 2006 [8] Wireless technology-protocols, standards and techniques, Michel Daoud Yacoub, April 2002 [9] Wireless Sensor networks-architectures and protocols, Edgar H. Callaway, Nov, 2004


Page 19 of 19

Seminar Report on WPAN

Documents

coexistence of wpan

hrwpan task group

wpan technology

wireless devices

wpan specifications

uwb task group

high rate wpan standard

difficult task