Transcript UWB Communications A Business Perspective
Helsinki University of Technology Telecommunications and Multimedia Laboratory
UWB Communications
– A Standards War
12.4.2004 Eino Kivisaari
MAIN GOAL
What is UWB (Ultra Wideband) all about
A Standards War at IEEE:
Motorola
(Freescale Semiconductor) vs.
MBOA Alliance
(Multi-Band OFDM Alliance)
INTRO TO UWB
Ultra Wideband Impulse Radio:
Radio transmission without RF carrier on a several GHz wide band Sub-nanosecond pulses, very accurate timing & positioning Theoretically Gigabit data rate over short distances Interference with narrowband RF traffic can be avoided by using very low transmission power
UWB PROS
Very high connection speeds, up to 1 Gb/s
Spectrum reuse
Low power consumption
Enabler of new services and functions
Cable replacement Wireless USB, Wireless Firewire
UWB Compared to Cellular, WLAN, Bluetooth and Ethernet
Mobilit y Bit rat e Coverage GSM UMTS WLAN UWB Bluetooth LAN
FCC Regulations for UWB
The
Commission on February 14, 2002 adopted a First Report and Order
in ET Docket No. 98-153 to amend Part 15 of the FCC Rules
to permit the marketing and operation of certain types of new products incorporating ultra-wideband technology. UWB devices operate by employing very narrow or short duration pulses that result in very large or wideband transmission bandwidths. UWB technology holds great promise for a vast array of new applications that will provide significant benefits for public safety, businesses and consumers
.
These applications include imaging systems that can detect objects beneath the surface of the earth or within and behind walls; vehicle radar systems for collision avoidance; and
high-speed data communications devices
.
February 2002 Available spectrum: 3.10 GHz – 10.6 GHz Low transmission powers Indoor usage, outdoors only peer-to-peer
Standards War
A War over an IEEE standard for UWB PHY (Physical Layer) specification, 802.15.3a
War started after the FCC rules had been out for 6 months Two counterparts: Motorola & Xtreme Spectrum (now acquired by Motorola) MBOA Alliance (Multi-Band OFDM Alliance) Intel, Texas Instruments, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, NEC, Fujitsu, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Olympus, TDK, Realtek, VIA etc. (90 companies as of April 2004 and growing) MBOA was created when Multi-Band Coalition (MBC) approved Texas Instruments’ OFDM-based proposal (June 2003)
Technical differences
Motorola & Xtreme Spectrum Direct Sequence-CDMA MBOA Alliance Multi-Band-OFDM multiple +500 MHz wide bands OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) bands can be switched on and off (
dynamical spectrum usage
) can be implemented with simpler CMOS technology than impulse radio UWB
IEEE Process
Despite numerous attemps, the final decision has not been achieved MBOA majority many times, but not 75% Process has been stalled for months Alternative:
”Forget IEEE, form a Special Interest Group of your own!”
MBOA has done this
Will Motorola follow?
Oct 02
Four UWB developers discuss Multi-Band approaches
Mar 03
Majority of IEEE proposals based on Multi-Band Texas Instruments presents MB-OFDM Motorola and Xtreme Spectrum team on UWB
Jul 03
IEEE down-selects to MB-OFDM, which obtains 60 % of votes
Jan 04
MBOA forms a new SIG (Special Interest Group) outside IEEE
Mar 04
90 companies in MBOA Motorola: a compromise proposal including both PHYs
Jan 03
Six UWB developers form Multi-Band Coalition (MBC)
Jun 03
MBC, TI, Sony, Samsung and others merge: MB OFDM Alliance (MBOA) is formed
Nov 03
35 companies in MBOA Motorola buys Xtreme Spectrum Xtreme promises royalty-free IPR IEEE voting: again no result
Feb 04
Intel backs up MBOA-based UWB for Wireless USB
Classification of Standards Wars
(Shapiro and Varian, 1999)
Your Technology Rival Technology
Compatible Incompatible Compatible Incompatible
Rival evolutions Evolution versus revolution Revolution versus evolution
Rival revolutions
Key assets in a standards war
(Shapiro and Varian, 1999) Control over an installed base of customers Intellectual property rights Ability to innovate First-mover advantages Manufacturing abilities Strength in complements Reputation and brand name
Control over an installed base of customers
Not Motorola, not MBOA
Intellectual property rights
Key IPR are owned respectively by both parties, no decisive differences
Ability to innovate
Both Motorola and MBOA members have a good track record in making innovative products However, MBOA wins 6-0 due to its sheer megnitude
First-mover advantages
Motorola & Xtreme Spectrum have had a time advantage Motorola’s strategy in IEEE has been seen as a way to delay MBOA and strike first MBOA has progressed rapidly As a 90-company alliance, MBOA may not be as agile as Motorola
Manufacturing abilities
MBOA wins 6-0
Strength in complements
MBOA wins 6-0 consumer electronics: Nokia, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, HP, TDK, Sharp, NEC, Toshiba, Olympus motherboards: Intel, Via, Realtek operating systems: Microsoft
Reputation and brand name
Motorola is alone MBOA wins 6-0
Conclusion (Confusion..??)
Regardless of IEEE process, MBOA UWB will emerge as the next big wireless thing Wireless USB Wireless Firewire However, Motorola UWB may not die out: Recent demo: 1.3 Gb/s over 2 m distance Can survive, if becomes branded and aimed to different usage scenarios than MBOA UWB Aside the duel between Motorola and MBOA, the overall industry seems to have learned from past failures: a jolly good spirit of co-operation floats around the MBOA standard –
a bigger cake for everyone
Products in 2005?