Wireless Communications

And mobile computing

 Outline

 Introduction
 Types of services
 wireless vs mobile
 Applications
 Introduction
 Mobile Computing is an umbrella term used to describe
technologies that enable people to access network services
anyplace, anytime, and anywhere.
 Mobile computing refers to the use of small and portable
computing devices in wireless enabled networks that
perform computation tasks
 Mobile computing systems are computing systems that may
be easily moved physically and whose computing capabilities
may be used while they are being moved.
 Examples are laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs),
and mobile phones
 Introduction
 Wireless is a term used to define telecommunication and
data transmission without wires.

 Wireless Communication is a method of transmitting

information from one point to other, without using any
connection like wires, cables or any physical medium.

 It involves the process of sending/reciving information

through invisible waves in the air. Information such as data,
voice, and video are carried through the radio frequency of
the electromagnetic spectrum.
 Introduction…
 Wireless communications is one of the
biggest engineering success
 market size dominating the whole economy
 5 billionth unique mobile subscriber

 Working habits, have been changed

“anywhere, anytime.”
 mobility of workers have increased
 Introduction …
 large number of applications have been
developed,
 Wireless sensor networks monitor factories,
 wireless links replace the cables between computers
and keyboards, mouse and other peripheral devices
 wireless positioning systems(like GPS) monitor the
location of trucks
 This variety of new applications causes the
technical challenges for the wireless engineers to
become bigger with each day.
 Types of Services
 Wireless service means any service using licensed or unlicensed wireless spectrum,
including the use of Wi-Fi, whether at a fixed location or by means of a mobile device,
that is provided using wireless facilities.
 Due to the need for variety of communication services, different types of Wireless
Communication Systems are developed. 

 Broadcast
 The first wireless service was broadcast radio. It is an example of a Simplex
Communication System where the information is transmitted only in one
direction and all the users receiving the same data.
 Properties
 information is only sent in one direction
 transmitted information is the same for all users.
 information is transmitted continuously.
 Types of Services
 Paging
A paging system allows for one-way communication (simplex system ) to a large audience.
It is a wireless telecommunications device that receives and displays alphanumeric or
voice messages. 
 Properties
 User can only receive information,
but cannot transmit.
 The information intended for and received
by only a single user.
 The amount of transmitted information is very small.
 Were very popular during the 1980s and early 1990s. For some professional
groups, like doctors, However, the success of cellular telephony has considerably
reduced their appeal.
 They send messages with very high frequency radio signals, giving them better
coverage
 Types of Services
Cellular Telephony
 A cellular phone is a telecommunication device that uses radio waves
over a networked area (cells) and is served through a cell site or base
station at a fixed location, enabling calls to transmit wirelessly over a
wide range, to a fixed landline or via the Internet.
 The development of mobile cellular device changed the World like no
other technology. 
 The latest generation of Mobile Communication Technology is 5G
(successor to the widely adapted 4G). Apart from increased data
transfer rates , 5G Networks are also aimed at Internet of Things
(IoT) related applications and future automobiles.
 Properties
 information flow is bidirectional.(full duplex)
 Trunking radio
 there is no connection between the wireless system and the PSTN;
 it allows the communications of closed user groups.
 Obvious applications include police departments, fire departments, taxis, and
similar
 Services
 Group calls: several users simultaneously, or several conference call between
multiple users of the system.
 Call priorities: enable the prioritization of calls and allow dropping a low-
priority call in favor of a high-priority one.
 Relay networks: the range of the network can be extended by using each Mobile
Station (MS) as a relay station for other MSs .
 Cordless telephony
 describes a wireless link between a handset and a BS that is directly connected
to the public telephone system.
 main difference from a cellphone
 is associated with, and can communicate with, only a single BS
 thus no mobile switching center; rather, the BS is directly connected to the
PSTN.
 Properties
 no need to find out the location of the MS. Similarly, there is no need to
providefor handover between different BSs.
 There is no central system, there is no need for (and no possibility for)
frequency planning.
 there are no network operators that can charge fees for connections from the
MS to the BS; rather, the only occurring fees are the fees from the BS into the
PSTN.
 Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs)
 very similar to that of cordless phones
 connecting a single mobile user device to a public landline
system. Laptop -to-Internet.
 main advantage is convenience for the user, allowing
mobility.
 WLANs can even be used for connecting fixed-location
computers (desktops)
 A major difference between wireless LANs and cordless
phones is the required data rate
 Cordless 64kbps more than 700kbps for wLAN
 a number of standards have been developed for WLAN, all of which
carry the identifier IEEE 802.11.
 The original IEEE 802.11 standard 1Mbit/s,
 the very popular 802.11b standard (also known under the name WiFi)
allows up to 11Mbit/s and the 802.11a standard extends that to 55Mbit/s.
 Even higher rates are realized by the 802.11n standard that was
introduced in 2008/2009.
 WLAN devices can, in principle, connect to any BS (access point) that
uses the same standard.
 Personal area network(PAN)
 coverage area even smaller than that of WLANs,
 number of standards for PANs have been developed by the
IEEE 802.15 group
 intended for simple “cable replacement” duties.
 For example, Bluetooth standard allow to connect a hands-
free headset to a phone without requiring a cable; in that case,
the distance between the two devices is less than a meter.
 In such applications, data rates are fairly low (<1Mbit/s).
 PAN…
 Recently, wireless communications between (DVD
player to TV), between computer and peripheral devices
(printer, mouse), and similar applications have gained
importance . data rates in excess of 100Mbit/s are used.
 Networks for even smaller distances like Body Area
Networks (BANs), which enable communications
between devices located on various parts of a user’s
body. monitoring of patients’ health and of medical
devices(e.g., pacemakers).
 Services…

Fixed Wireless Access

 essentially replacing a dedicated cable connection between
the user and the public landline system.
 no mobility of the user devices
 the distances bridged by fixed wireless access devices are
much larger (between 100m and several tens of kilometers).
 its main market for covering rural areas, and for establishing
connections in developing countries that do not have any
wired infrastructure in place.
 Services..
Ad hoc Networks and Sensor Networks
 Up to now, we have dealt with “infrastructure-based” wireless
communications,
 where certain components (base stations, TV transmitters, etc.) are
intended by design to be in a fixed location, to control over the
network and interface with other networks.
 an alternative in which there is only one type of equipment, and
those devices, all of which may be mobile, organize themselves into
a network according to their location and according to necessity.
Such networks are called ad hoc networks
 There can still be “controllers” in an ad hoc network, but the
choice of which device acts as master and which as slave is done
opportunistically whenever a network is formed.
 The advantages of ad hoc networks
 low costs (because no infrastructure is required), high flexibility.
 The drawbacks
 reduced efficiency, smaller communication range, and restrictions on
the number of devices that can be included in a network.
 Ad hoc networks play a major role in the recent abundance of
sensor networks, which allow communications between
machines for the purpose of building control (controlling air
conditioning, lighting, etc., based on sensor data), factory
automation, surveillance, etc.
 Satellite Systems

 Cover very large areas

 Distance several hundred kilometers
 the transmit powers need to be larger,
 high-gain antennas need to be used
 communications from within buildings is almost impossible
 costs of setting up a satellite – are much higher
 Global Positioning System (GPS) use growing
 Satellite signals used to pinpoint location
 Popular in cell phones, PDAs, and navigation devices
 Strength
 Social & cultural factor
 Mobile life style (Anytime Anywhere)
 Increase of social communication
 Increase revenue & productivity

 Ease of setup
 Less expensive
 High data rate
 Development in mobile devices
 Weakness and issues
 Social issue
 Privacy
 Security (easy to tap)
 Health issues (Brain cancer)
 Noise pollution ,(irritation in classroom)
 Accident (use of cellphone while driving)
 Weakness…
 Technology issues
 Lack of standards
 High cost of technology
 Quality of service
 Device limitation
 Low data rates
 Applications

 Vehicles
 Emergencies
 Business
 Agriculture
 Replacement of wired networks
 Infotainment and more
 Location dependent services
 Vehicles
 Navigation , tracking(GPS)
 Music, news, weather report (DAB)
 Collision avoidance(wireless sensors)
 Accident reporting , Traffic reporting (Ad-
hoc)
 Collision Avoidance : V2V Networks
 bland spots
 stalled vehicle
warning

26
 Emergencies
 Wireless networks are the only means of
communication in the case of natural
disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes.
(wireless ad-hoc networks)
 Accident reporting (wireless sensors)
 Ambulance high-quality wireless connection
 Business
 Traveling salesman/employee
 having instant access to the company’s
database: to ensure that files on his or her
laptop reflect the current situation,
 Business anytime anywhere mobile office,
 Agriculture and Natural Resources
 Animal tracking and identification.
 Monitoring water or flood levels.
 Monitor crop health, rainfall, temperature
and other meterological data.
 Track shipments of perishable crops and
crop inputs
 Replacement of wired networks
 remote sensors for weather forecasts,
earthquake detection, or to provide
environmental information
 for tradeshows, or in historic buildings.
 Infotainment
 provide up-to-date information at any
appropriate location.
 Internet everywhere? Not without wireless
networks!
 entertainment and games to enable, e.g., ad-
hoc gaming networks as soon as people meet
to play together.
 Location dependent services
 Follow-on services: Wherever you are,
service and information will follow you

 Location aware services:

Is wireless mobile?
or
Is mobile wireless?
 A communication device can exhibit any one of the
following characteristics:
 Fixed and wired
 Example the typical desktop computer in an office. Neither
weight nor power consumption of the devices allow for mobile
usage. The devices use fixed networks for performance reasons.
 Mobile and wired:
 Many of yesterday’s laptops fall into this category; users carry
the laptop from one hotel to the next, reconnecting to the
company’s network via the telephone network and a modem.
 Fixed and wireless:
 This mode is used for installing networks, e.g., in historical
buildings to avoid damage by installing wires, or at trade shows
to ensure fast network setup.
 Mobile and wireless:
 This is the most interesting case. No cable restricts the user,
who can roam between different wireless networks. Most
technologies discussed in this course deal with this type of
device and the networks supporting them.
 Today’s most successful example for this category is GSM with
more than 4 Billion users.
Future Wireless Networks
Ubiquitous Communication Among People and Devices

Next-generation Cellular
Wireless Internet Access
Wireless Multimedia
Sensor Networks
Smart Homes/Spaces
Automated Highways
In-Body Networks
All this and more …
 Home work

 Compare and contrast wireless systems

with wired systems.
 Read the article:
“The computer for the 21st century”
by Mark weiser
 Next class
 Mobile computing