The Future of
Spread Spectrum
(or should I say CDMA?)
Randy Roberts, Director
RF / Spread Spectrum Consulting
6/20/2016
Our Agenda
Some Background
 Technology Segments
 Directions
 Examples
 Predictions
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SS Technology
Background
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Early Spark was really SS
WW2 Saw first real SS Systems
Military used SS In 50’s and 60’s
FCC opened commercial SS 1988
IC technology will provide future
impetus and direction(?) of past
year
SS Technology
Segments
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WLANs
Wireless Telecom
Position Location, etc.
RFID
Data Comm
Proprietary Systems
WLAN’s Today &
Tomorrow
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WLAN’s Performance,
Price & Problems
6/20/2016
More on WLAN’s
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“Wireless Promised LAN’s Still
Elusive” by M. R. McLean
http://www.lantimes.com/lantimes/96nov/611a035a.html
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The Cook Report: “… The
Players and The Prospects …”
http://cookreport.com/wireless.html
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“Reality vs. Hype” by Andrew
Seybold
http://www.outlook.com/articles/january98articles1.html
6/20/2016
WLAN’s - Home Networks
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“The Convergence of Communications
and Computing” by Andrew Seybold
http://www.outlook.com/articles/may98article1.html
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http://www.bluetooth.com/
“Home networking draws diverse
crew” by Stephen Shankland
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,27451,00.html?pt.ms..feed.ne_home
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“Home networking set to take off” by
Ben Heskett
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,24050,00.html?st.ne.ni.rel
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IEEE 802.11(E) / PAN + others = ???
Wireless Telecom
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CDMA / W-CDMA / 3G ???
IMT-2000 / UMTS ?
CDPD & Cellular Variants ?
Digital Cellular / PCS / PCN
 STANDARDS
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???
WLL’s and wireless “last mile”
connectivity
Position Location, etc.
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GPS Receivers are now 2 ICs
Cellular 911 Position Location
requirements (FCC mandate)
“Big Brother” Systems are
GROWING in popularity
“Beam me up, Scotty” systems
are on their way!
RFID
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RFID Systems have been very slow to
adopt SS Techniques
Reasons:
Cost + complexity + questionable performance
advantages in very short range / noisy
environments
Perceived customer needs
Current Systems have acceptable performance
Better / Cheaper ICs will change this
SOON!
Datacom
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Wireless ISP & Wireless Internet
Access are probably the TWO
Biggest New Opportunities!
Plenty of other niches & needs
out there for SS applications
Newest Video Compression ICs
make SS Viable for many more
uses - security, video conference, etc.
Proprietary Systems
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Metricom & “Richochet”
Future “ARDIS” - like Systems
LEO Satellite Data / Telecom
Systems will provide Great SS /
CDMA application opportunities
Other infrastructure intensive
systems will bring SS to
All of US!
Three Future SS
Examples
CDC’s LPS System
 RF/SS’ Wireless ISP
Project
 Distance measurement &
the Intelligent Highway
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CDC Local Position
Location System
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Hazardous area personnel monitoring
/ tracking
< 1 meter Location CEP desired
2.4 GHz Indoors - 100 m range
Must minimize Multipath & Fading
problems
Must provide multi-story building
coverage with some data exchange /
networking
Wireless ISP
Technology at 5 GHz
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Now evaluating UNII bands /
modulation vs. SS System
Implementations for performance
and cost
UNII systems are Great for data rates
up to ATM (50 Mbps) & a few miles
LOS range
SS Systems are better for longer
ranges & data rates up to ~ 10 Mbps
Distance Measurement / IVHS
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SS Systems are a “Natural” for IVHS,
because of:
Inherent range measurement capability
Inherent Frequency diversity aspect of SS
Superior multiple access ability of SS (=CDMA)
Ease of implementation with New ICs
Add multiple antennas for Space Diversity
and coding (for Time Diversity) to get a
REALLY Robust SS IVHS!
Summary & Predictions
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Ever Improving Chip Technology Will
Power Future SS Systems
Resulting in:
Lower power, cheaper, faster, more functionality
More Bandwidth / Data Rate + Higher Chip Rates
Higher Carrier Frequencies
Ever more Complex & Robust Modulation
Look for Parallel Advances in
Antennas, DSP & Coding
Maybe Y2K will bring More
Performance & Less Hype!