Cellular Communication

Cellular-phone technology has been around since Motorola introduced it in 1973, but it wasn’t until 10 years later that the technology became widely available.   Between 1990 and the start of this decade, sources indicate the numbers of users with cell phones grew from just over 12 million to over 6 billion users, including users in underdeveloped countries.

With this explosive growth in cell service, its little wonder there is a real focus on regulatory compliance and the control of available spectrum.

There are many different types of cellular technologies¹ in use today however the wireless-technology generating real excitement due to the explosion of data transmission services is LTE (Long-Term Evolution).   LTE or 4G/LTE is the fourth generation and Long-Term Evolution of cellular telephone technology.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) that follow the IEEE 802.15.1 and Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) standards.   A personal area network (PAN) is a network device used for data transmission amongst devices such as computers, telephones, tablets and personal digital assistants.   WPAN’s can be used for communication amongst the personal devices themselves (interpersonal communication) or for connecting to a higher-level network and the Internet.

Bluetooth devices operate in the 2.4 GHz license-free band with short range capability.

Bluetooth (FHSS)

Bluetooth frequency hopping devices divide transmitted data into packets and transmits each packet on one of 79 designated Bluetooth channels. Each channel has a bandwidth of 1 MHz.   It usually performs 800 hops per second, with Adaptive Frequency-Hopping (AFH) enabled.

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

Bluetooth Low Energy is a wireless personal area network technology designed and marketed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group aimed at novel applications in healthcare, fitness, beacons, security and home entertainment industries.

Z-WAVE

Z-Wave is a wireless communications protocol used primarily for home automation.   It is a mesh network using a  low-energy radio to communicate from appliance to appliance allowing for wireless control of These devices. Applications include management of residential appliances, lighting control, security systems, thermostats, windows, locks, swimming pools and garage door openers.

Like other protocols and systems aimed at the home and office market, a Z-Wave automation system can be controlled via the Internet from a wireless key fob, a wall-mounted keypad or through smartphones, tablets or computers.   This provides easy interoperability between home control systems and devices from different manufacturers.

Z-Wave is designed to provide reliable, low-latency transmission of small data packets at rates up to 100kbit/s, with a throughput of 40kbit/s. It is suitable for control and sensor applications in home, office and commercial industries.

RFID

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. There are two types of tags that contain stored information.  Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader’s radio waves and Active tags have a local power source such as a battery and can actively transmit RF signals. Unlike a barcode, the tag does not need line of sight of the reader, so it may be embedded in the tracked object.

RFID tags are used in many industries. For example, an RFID tag attached to an automobile during production can be used to track its progress through the assembly line. RFID-tagged pharmaceuticals can be tracked through warehouses. Implanting RFID microchips in livestock and pets allows for positive identification of animals.   Another interesting application of RFID is a subset called Near Field Communication (NFC). This enables users of any handheld electronic device to share content and media in an intuitive way by simply touching their smart devices

Radio Frequency Identification Devices have many applications for tracking assets or people. Operating in the unlicensed band, RFID operates in the following frequencies; 135 KHz, 13.56 MHz, 2.45 GHz, 5.8 GHz, 860 to 930 MHz and 433.92 MHz.

Short-Range Devices

The term ‘Short-Range Device’ (SRD) is intended to cover the radio transmitters which provide either unidirectional or bi-directional communication that may be operated without an individual license. SRDs use either integral, dedicated or external antennas and all modes of modulation can be permitted subject to relevant standards.

In the US SRDs are covered by FCC Part 15 rules and in Canada by RSS-210/310. In Europe EN 300 220/330/440 covers non-specific SRDs.

SRD’s operate in a selection of the unlicensed spectrum, some of the common frequencies include: 13.56 MHz, 433 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz and 24 GHz.   Due to the many different applications used by these devices, the following categories include SRDs but are not limited to: remote controls, telemetry, alarms, speech and video.

Advanced Technologies

Wireless technologies are now becoming more widespread with their integration into medical, mining, military, audio and airborne applications. At MiCOM Labs we work with several industry leaders that manufacture cutting edge multi-functional systems that combine several technologies to deliver complex high-performance systems. This includes medical monitoring systems, ultra-wide band, RFID, WLAN, Bluetooth based medical electronics, underground positioning systems and optic systems.

Our wide range of testing services and test process that are quality controlled to meet the highest standards including medical (FDA) airborne (FAA) regulated devices.

MiCOM Labs is accredited and equipped to handle a wide range of technologies including millimeter frequency applications up to 110 GHz. With our collective experience and in-house experts to interpret standards and customize test plans, you can be assured of high quality testing and compliance services irrespective of the technology or complexity of your product.