Wiggins, LaQuita
December 2006
DTEC 6810
Ultra-wideband Technology:
The Revolution is Here
ABSTRACT
Ultra-wideband is a radio
technology that has been
explored since the early 1960s.
With new regulations and
technological advancements it is
now poised for used in
advanced communications and
radar applications.
Ultra-wideband (UWB) is
an emerging wireless radio
technology. UWB gains its
name from its operation over a
wide range of frequency
spectrum, greater than 500 MHz
or 20% of the center frequency
according to FCC and ITU-R
definitions. This vast bandwidth
is used instantaneously by low
power, ultra short-pulses to
carry information.
Technological advances, new
regulations, the unique
properties of UWB signals
combine to catapult this
technology in revolutionary
communications and radar
applications.
History of UWB
As with most technology,
there are many and overlapping
origins. UWB as we know it
today can be traced back to the
work of several groups in the
1960s, Henning F. Harmuth at
Catholic University of America,
Gerald F. Ross and K.W. Robins
at Sperry Rand Corporation, and
Paul van Etten at the United
States Air Force (USAF) Rome
Air Development Center. The
technology was restricted to
military and Department of
Defense applications from the
1960s to the 1990s. In 1989
the Department of Defense
coined the term ultra-wideband
[1].
The 2003 FCC ruling
releasing the 3.6-10.1 GHz
bandwidth at the noise floor [2],
along with advances in
microprocessing and fast
switching in semiconductor
technology have transformed
UWB into a promising
technology with a myriad of
possible uses.
UWB Systems Technical
Details
UWB can be divided into
two main implementations:
impulse UWB (I-UWB) and
multicarrier UWB (MC-UWB). I-
UWB is a single band
implementation that using ultra-
short pulses to convey
information across the entire
available spectrum. MC-UWB is
a multiband implementation
that uses multiple simultaneous
carriers [3]. I will now briefly
discuss the most prominent
implementation of each form.
Wiggins, LaQuita
December 2006
DTEC 6810
Direct-Sequence UWB
DS-UWB is a single band
implementation. A single pulse
representing data is sent over
the entire spectrum. BPSK
modulation, time domain signal
processing and DSSS
techniques and RAKE receivers
are used [4]. These pulses may
occur in one of two spectra, 3.1
GHz - 4.85 GHz or 6.2 GHz - 9.7
GHz. Depending on the
parameters selected, DS-UWB
radios can achieve a data rate
between 55 Mbps to 1.32 Gbps
in the 3.1 GHz band, or 55 Mbps
to 2 Gbps in the 6.2 GHz band.
DS-UWB devices have a 10 m or
better range in multipath
environments for 110 Mbps and
a total transmit power of about
1/10 mW [5].
MB-OFDM UWB
Multi-Band Orthogonal
Frequency Division Multiplexing
is a multiband implementation.
The spectrum from 3.1 GHz to
10.6 Ghz is divided into 14
bands, each with a 528 MHz
bandwidth. Each band has 110
subcarriers. Information
carrying signals hop across the
bands every 312.5 ns, with a
9.5 ns guard in-between hops.
QPSK modulation and time-
domain and frequency-domain
processing in the receiver are
used. MB-OFDM supports data
rates of 53.3 Mbps, 80 Mbps,
106.7 Mbps, 160 Mbps, 200
Mbps, 320 Mbps, 400 Mbps and
480 Mbps. Devices have a
range of up 20 m and transmit
powers range from 15 W while
in sleep mode to 145 mW at
480 Mbps [6].
Advantages and
Disadvantages of UWB
The ultra-short
waveforms, in the nanoscale
range, that UWB systems use
offer several advantages. They
offer the enhanced ability to
penetrate through obstacles,
opening up possible uses such
as radar imaging. They have
fine precision ranging at the
centimeter level opening up
possible uses such as
positioning and tracking. They
have the potential for high data
rates in multi-user networks
opening up possible uses such
as high speed networking.
Transmitting in short pulses
decreases interference because
the signals do not last long
enough to interfere with other
signals. Ultra-short UWB waves
also require limited processing
power. The use of low power
waves allow UWB systems to
working in tandem with existing
systems and makes them
difficult to intercept. UWB
signals have a resistant to
jamming because of the vast
range of frequencies used by
UWB. UWB systems are
potentially low-cost because
they use carrierless
transmissions which mean they
can be designed with simple
 Wiggins, LaQuita
December 2006
DTEC 6810

hardware or nearly all digital. UWB receivers are subject

In addition, a single system can to long synchronization times
be adapted to multiple uses, and must be complex enough to
from communications to radar handle the multipath rich
and positioning. channels inherent to the short
UWB systems have pulse signals used by UWB
considerable real and possible systems. UWB antennas also
disadvantages that must be pose an engineering challenge
addressed in order to build real- due to the unique demands and
world applications. UWB shares challenges of UWB systems.
a wide swath of bandwidth with Carrierless systems must rely
other RF technologies, which on complex signal processing
means there is potential techniques to recover data from
interference, both from and to noisy environments. Channel
existing systems (See Table 1). characterization, an essential
part of communications systems
Systems Possibly Degraded by Ultra design, is difficult in UWB
Wideband systems because of wide
Name Frequency bandwidth and reduced signal
Distance Measuring energy [7] [8].
Equipment
Airborne receivers 960-1215 MHz
Ground transponders 1025-1150 MHz Regulation and
Standardization
Air Traffic Control
Radio Beacon System
Ground receivers 1090 MHz In addition to physical
Airborne transponders 1030 MHz limitations, UWB faces many
Air Route Surveillance 1240-1400 MHz regulatory hurdles related to
Radar
licensing. The FCC allocated
Search and Rescue 1544-1545 MHz
Satellite Land User spectrum for UWB in 2002 along
Terminals with power limitations that
Airport Surveillance 2700-2900 MHz influence UWB system design.
Radar The FCC allows UWB
Next Generation 2700-3000 MHz
communication in the 3.1 to
Weather Radar
10.6 GHz band, with a -10 dB
bandwidth greater than 500
Maritime 2900-3100 MHz
Radionavigation Radar MHz, and a maximum
equivalent isotropic radiated
Global Positioning power (EIRP) spectral density of
Satellite Receivers -41.3 dBm/Mhz. The timeline in
Link 1 1575 +/- 12 MHz Figure 1 outlines the progress of
Link 2 1227 +/- 12 MHz FCC regulations. The European
Link 5 1176 +/- 12 MHz Communications Committee and
Japanese regulatory bodies both
Table 1 released regulations earlier this
 Wiggins, LaQuita
December 2006
DTEC 6810
Figure 1
year. Technology is expected to
take off faster in the US
because Japan and Europe
require interference mitigation
schemes referred to as detect
and avoid (DAA). DAA and
other developing specifications
will remain a factor in UWB
development.
Standards battles also
threaten UWB technology. Two
opposing groups began battling
on the best implementation
shortly after the FCC first
allocated unlicensed spectrum
for UWB, single band or
multiband. In January 2003 the
IEEE formed the IEEE 802.15.3a
task group (TG3a) to define the
physical layer for high data rate
short range applications. The
groups biggest success
occurred in a May 2003 meeting
when it narrowed down 23
physical specifications into two
proposals: MB-OFDM UWB,
supported by the WiMedia
Alliance, and DS-UWB supported
by the UWB Forum. After two
and a half years of trying to
reach a standard both groups
agreed upon, TG3a called it
quits and dissolved without
agreeing on a standard in
January 2006. The two groups
promised to continue to grow
the UWB market; ironically,
many think the dissolution of
TG3a will speed up the
development of UWB products.
WiMedia Alliance supported MB-
OFDM was standardized by
international standards group
ECMA in December 2005 and is
expected to be standardized by
ISO very soon. In addition,
Bluetooth SIG has selected MB-
OFDM. The UWB Forum
continues to support DS-UWB.
We can expect products on the
market from both groups this
year.
IEEE 802.15.4a, a task
group for low data rate short
range applications is also
considering a version of I-UWB.
Applications
As mentioned earlier,
UWB has many communications
and radars applications.
Wiggins, LaQuita
December 2006
DTEC 6810
Engineers are challenged to
create products that balance
high data rates, low power
demands, performance and
cost. In communications
various WPAN implementations,
such as wireless USB, are most
promising. Each of the major
players in the UWB game have
their own implementation,
Belkin CableFree USB, which
Freescale Semiconductor and its
partners promote, and Certified
Wireless USB, which the
WiMedia Alliance and the USB
Implementers Forum (USB-IF)
promote. CableFree USB units
were shipped in July 2006,
coincidentally these were also
the first UWB products
introduced into the US market.
In September 2006 USB-IF
announced a certification
program, allowing
manufacturers to gain
certification by building products
to its specifications. Products
should hit the market soon.
Both groups aim to replace the
USB cable by providing secure
high speed, short range
communications, like USB but
without the cables. Data rates
of 480 Mbps should be reached
at distances up to 30 feet.
Unfortunately CableFree devices
and Certified Wireless USB
devices cannot communicate
with each other. Surprisingly,
this hurdle for UWB technology
is not to be blamed on the
different radio implementations
each uses, but on protocol
differences. We can expect the
market to determine which one
of these technologies dominates
wireless USB [9].
High speed Bluetooth is
another budding UWB WPAN. It
will use WiMedia UWB with the
promise of reaching multimedia
speeds. Imagine downloading
hundreds of photos in seconds
or wirelessly downloading
movies from an airport kiosk.
Expect market entry in 2008.
Ultra Vision Security
Systems is leading UWB product
development in the search and
rescue realm. Its portable
LifeLocater system has
stationary sensors that use UWB
signals to detect moving
objects. It can detect and
locate motion, even breathing,
through debris and dense
materials in as little as 30
seconds. The use of UWB
signals gives this system better
object penetration, motion
resolution, and distance
measurement [10].
The 2006 Mercedes S-
Class uses 24 GHz short range
UWB radar as part of its driver
assistant systems. Elapsed time
of pulsed signals is used to
detect objects within 0.2 to 30
m. It can detect and track up to
10 objects with a range
accuracy of 7.5 cm [11].
LifeWave has developed a
patent pending UWB medical
radar. UWB signals are
transmitted into the body and
reflected off of tissues and
organs. Signal processing is
used to determine information
Wiggins, LaQuita
December 2006
DTEC 6810
about tissue size, location and
movement. The images gained
are not distorted by bone and
air cavities such as the lungs as
in other imaging systems.
Direct skin contact is not
required and information can be
collected through clothes and
bedding. The radar will be
inexpensive and low power,
making it ideal for portable
applications [12].
The Future
Home audio systems and
PCs without the confusing and
messy cables and even more
tech savvy cell phones are the
promise of UWB. Some people
question whether UWB really
will impact consumer life. A
better question is when? There
is a definite demand for the
applications that can be
developed using UWB. UWB
also has a unique edge over
competing technologies in its
low cost and low power model.
Unfortunately early regulatory
division has split UWB
implementers down the middle.
Countries around the world
have been reluctant to release
radio spectrum for UWB use.
The consequential lack of an
universal standard must be
addressed so consumers can
reap the benefits of this
powerful technology.
REFERENCES
1. T. W. Barrett, History of ultra
wideband (UWB) radar &
communications: Pioneers and
innovators in Proc. Progress in
Electromagnetics Symposium,
Cambridge, MA 2000.
2. L. Yang and G.B. Giannakis, Ultra-
wideband communications: an idea
whose time has come in IEEE Signal
Processing Mag., vol 21, no. 6, pp. 26-
54, Nov. 2004.
3. J.H. Reed, Introduction to Ultra
Wideband Communications Systems.
New Jersey: Prentice Hall PTR, 2005.
4. F. Nekoogar, Introduction to Ultra
Wideband Communication:
Fundamentals and Applications. New
Jersey: Prentice Hall PTR, 2005.
5. IEEE 802.15.3a Updated DS-UWB
Proposal Specification, IEEE 802.15
Working Group for WPANs, July 2004.
6. ECMA, [4] ECMA, "Standard ECMA-
368:High Rate Ultra Wideband PHY and
MAC Standard," Dec. 2005,
[Online]:http://www.ecma-
international.org/publications/standards
/Ecma-368.htm.
7. L.E. Miller, Why UWB? A Review of
Ultra Wideband Technology April 2003.
[Online]:http://www.antd.nist.gov/wctg
/manet/NIST_UWB_Report_April03.pdf
8. D. Iyengar, Understanding ultra
wideband technology: Advantages,
applications, and regulatory policy,
M.A. Thesis, Tufts University, May
2002.
9. R.A. Quinnell, Clash of the wireless-
USB standards in EDN, September 1,
2006. [Online]:
http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout
=article&articleid=CA6363903&spacede
sc=features
10. UltraVision Security Systems, Inc. 10
December 2006. <
http://www.ultravisionsecurity.com/>
11. J. Wenger, Automotive radar-status
and perspectives in Compound
Semiconductor Integrated Circuit
Symposium, 2005.
12. LifeWave. 10 December 2006.
<http://www.lifewaveinc.com/>