Spectrum Management and Telecommunications

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Consultation Paper on the Introduction of Wireless Systems Using Ultra-wideband Technology

3. Ultra-Wideband Developments

3.1 Potential Benefits

UWB technology can potentially be integrated into many applications that could benefit the Canadian public, consumers, businesses, and industries. Examples of current and potential UWB applications include:

  • Applications for improved public safety through the use of vehicular radar systems for collision avoidance, airbag activation, road sensors, etc.
  • Applications to detect location and movement of objects. Such applications can be used by law enforcement, rescue and fire organizations to detect persons hidden behind walls or under debris in situations such as hostage rescues, fires, collapsed buildings, and avalanches. UWB can also be used at hospitals and clinics for variety of medical applications to obtain images of organs, etc. within the body of a person or an animal.
  • Inexpensive short-range wireless networks. UWB is a candidate technology for dedicated short‑range wireless networks (IEEE 802.15.3a standard for personal area networks at data rates greater than 100 Mbits/s, and IEEE 802.15.4a standard for ad hoc networks at data rates up to 1 Mbits/s). For example, UWB wireless personal area networks could be established at home allowing televisions, VCRs, stereo-systems, and computers to communicate with each other without using cable connections. Similarly in a typical office environment, UWB wireless links could replace wired connections to the computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and printers. Some UWB chipsets are being developed to operate at data rates between 400 and 700 Mbits/s.
  • Reliable low probability of intercept and detection wireless communication systems. UWB is advantageous for secure radiocommunications. In addition, UWB devices can operate at very low power levels, function extremely well in cluttered environments (e.g. factory, indoors, etc.), and can support multiple users at high data rates.
  • Applications to locate objects such as mineral deposits, non-metallic pipes, plastic land mines, and flaws in bridges and highways using ground penetrating radar (GPR) systems. GPRs can also be used to measure the ice thickness of frozen lakes, runway conditions at airports, as well as in forensic and archaeological studies.
  • Various other applications such as tagging systems, liquid level detectors and sensors, surveillance systems, location determination systems, and as replacement to wired high data rate connections over short distances.

3.2 Potential concerns

Some of the concerns associated with the introduction of UWB radiocommunication systems include:

  1. Finding appropriate spectrum: UWB emissions spread over a very large frequency bandwidth. Among the challenges is finding a suitable spectrum and a way to introduce UWB applications without causing harmful interference to authorized radiocommunication systems.
    1. The UWB industry wishes to operate low-power UWB systems on a licence-exempt basis across numerous frequency bands allocated to several radiocommunication services. On the one hand, this could improve spectrum utilization; on the other hand, there are concerns about potential harmful interference to radiocommunication systems operating in these bands.
    2. The licensees and users of spectrum in these bands would prefer to see licence-exempt equipment operate in specific frequency bands as do industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) devices.
  2. Aggregate impact: Though most UWB systems would operate at very low power, the many potential UWB applications could result in high-density use in certain environments such as office and business cores and on highways. There are concerns about the potential proliferation of UWB systems and their aggregate impact on the radio-frequency (RF) noise floor and consequently on radiocommunication services (e.g. passive services and services that operate close to the RF noise floor).
  3. UWB peak power:  There are concerns about potential peak power interference from UWB systems into authorized radiocommunication systems.
  4. UWB susceptibility to interference: UWB systems operate at very low power levels and have broad front-end filters. The relatively high-power emissions of conventional radiocommunication systems could render the operation of some UWB applications impossible.
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3.3 Application Developments

Wireless systems being developed by UWB manufacturers around the world fit broadly into three categories:

  1. Radar imaging systems: This category includes ground penetrating radar, wall and through-wall imaging, medical imaging, construction and home repair imaging, mining imaging, and surveillance systems. The UWB signal can penetrate the ground or a wall to sense what's inside or behind it, as well as measure distances precisely. The same principle could apply to the human body. Therefore, the principal users of this category would be law enforcement, search and rescue, construction, mining, geological and medical professionals. Radar imaging systems operate at infrequent intervals and are expected to have low proliferation due to their nature of use. Such devices would have a niche market with limited distribution.
  2. Vehicular radar systems: This category includes collision warning radars, improved airbag activation, and field disturbance sensors, etc. Vehicular radar systems can detect the distance between objects and a vehicle, or can be integrated into the navigation system of the vehicle. Some vehicular radar devices started appearing at car exhibits in luxury cars. Should it become mandatory to install such devices on all vehicles, then a proliferation of vehicular radar systems is expected. Users of this category are mostly mobile and outdoor which could increase the potential of interference to other services.
  3. Communication systems:  This category includes short-range communication systems including wireless personal area networks and measurement systems. This category is expected to have the largest proliferation due to potential high-density use of UWB devices in office buildings, meeting and conference rooms, and public places (e.g. airports, shopping malls, etc.).

Examples of the above UWB systems and their operational characteristics are included in Table 2.

Table 2 - Examples UWB Systems and their Operational Characteristics
UWB Application Operational Characteristics
(1) Radar Imaging Systems – Mostly occasional use by professionals.
– Use is usually limited to specific locations or geographic areas.
Ground Penetrating Radar Systems – GPRs do not intend to transmit in air. Their emission is directed towards ground.
– Occasional use by professionals at infrequent intervals and specific sites.
Wall Imaging Systems – Occasional use by professionals at infrequent intervals and specific locations.
– Emission is directed towards a wall and attenuated by the material of the wall.
Through-wall Imaging Systems – Occasional use by professionals at infrequent intervals and specific locations.
– Emission is directed through a wall and attenuated by the material of the wall.
Surveillance Systems – Continuous use at fixed locations.
Medical Systems – Occasional indoor use by medical professionals at specific sites.
– Emission is directed towards a body.
(2) Vehicular Radar Systems – Mostly mobile outdoor use on terrestrial transportation (when engine is running).
– Emission is directional.
(3) Radiocommunication Systems – Some devices will be used occasionally (e.g. a wireless mouse); others will operate for most of the time such as a wireless personal area network in an office building.
– Mostly indoor use or hand-held outdoor peer-to-peer use.
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3.4 Regulatory and Standardization Considerations

Considerable worldwide effort is currently underway to study the compatibility of UWB systems and systems operating under various radiocommunication services, as well as to develop standards and regulations for the introduction and use of UWB systems.

3.4.1 UWB Activities in USA

Following public consultation, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted in February 2002 a First Report and Order on UWB that permits marketing and operation of three types of systems that use UWB technology[ref. 1]. The FCC stated that their rules were very conservative. In their opinion, UWB would not harm other radio services and tremendous benefits could be achieved by using this innovative technology.

The FCC order authorizes the operation of UWB devices on a licence-exempt basis (Part 15 of the FCC rules) subject to certain operational and power restrictions. The FCC defined a UWB device as any device having a fractional bandwidth4 greater than 20% or occupying 500 MHz or more of spectrum. The three authorized types of UWB systems are:

  1. Radar imaging systems: Operation of UWB radar imaging systems is restricted to specific frequency bands5:
    • below 960 MHz: GPRs, wall, and through-wall imaging systems;
    • 1.99-10.6 GHz: fixed surveillance and through-wall imaging systems; and
    • 3.1-10.6 GHz: GPRs, wall imaging, and medical imaging systems.
    Operators of this category of devices must be eligible for licensing under Part 90 of FCC rules (e.g. public protection, fire and rescue organizations, medical professionals, scientific research institutes, and construction and mining companies). All devices of this category shall bear a User Restriction Statement. The FCC requires that devices of this category be equipped with a manually operated switch that causes the device to cease emission within 10 seconds of being turned off. This switch may also be operated remotely. UWB radar imaging systems require coordination through the FCC before the equipment may be used. The operator shall comply with any constraints on equipment usage resulting from this coordination. The users of UWB radar imaging systems shall supply detailed operational areas to the FCC who shall notifying the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of this information.6 The coordination information shall describe the general areas in which the device is to be operated, so the NTIA can alert the UWB operator(s) of any sensitive government systems in these areas.
  2. Vehicular radar systems: UWB vehicular radar systems and similar field disturbance sensors are restricted to terrestrial transportation in the band 22-29 GHz. The UWB device should operate when the engine of the vehicle is running. Directional antennas must be used. UWB devices of this category are licence-exempt under Part 15 of FCC rules provided that both the centre and maximum frequencies of the emission are greater than 24.075 GHz.
  3. Communication and measurement systems:  This category is licence-exempt under Part 15 of FCC rules to operate in the band 3.1-10.6 GHz. UWB communications and measurement devices must be designed for indoor use or outdoor hand-held devices for peer-to-peer operations. Outdoor use systems should have no fixed infrastructure and the use of outdoor mounted antennas is prohibited. In addition, an outdoor transmitter must cease emission within 10 seconds unless it receives acknowledgement from an associated receiver.

In February 2003, the FCC reaffirmed its UWB rules and stated that future FCC rules are expected to explore flexible technical standards and to address operations and additional types of UWB systems. In August 2004, the FCC certified a 115 Mbits/s UWB chipset intended for wireless personal area networks and consumer applications.

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3.4.2 UWB Activities in Europe

There are no European regulations yet on UWB technology. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has developed draft emission masks for indoor and outdoor UWB communication systems. These masks have the same maximum power level as the FCC masks but use a slope function instead of a step function for the mask skirts. ETSI is drafting a standard on Short Range Devices using UWB technology.

3.4.3 UWB Activities in Other Parts of the World

Many countries around the world are assessing the compatibility of UWB systems with other wireless systems.

In Japan an institute for the development of UWB standards has been established. Japan's regulator7 has expressed readiness to issue experimental licences for UWB applications.

Singapore8 has expressed readiness to issue trial permits for UWB applications in a specific geographical location (UWB friendly zone) with emission masks relaxed by 6 dB (from 2.2 GHz to 10.6 GHz) relative to the FCC UWB masks. No intentional UWB emissions are allowed below 960 MHz. In addition, UWB applications with unusual emission requirements may be approved on a case-by-case basis. The UWB friendly zone will be available until Singapore formally announces its UWB regulations.

The Australian Communications Authority recently granted an interim licence for an ultra-wideband ground penetrating radar system.

3.4.4 IEEE Standards

The IEEE standardization committees are considering ultra-wideband for low-power short-range dedicated wireless networks including wireless personal area networks. The IEEE 802.15 task group 3a (IEEE 802.15.3a) is developing a standard for the physical (PHY) layer of wireless personal area networks at high data rates (> 100 Mbits/s). In addition, the IEEE 802.15.4a task group is considering UWB for short-range wireless applications at data rates from 500 kbits/s and up to a few Mbits/s.

At the time of writing this paper, some proposals to task group 3a  are based on multi-band OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) implementation that divides the band 3.1–10.6 GHz into a number of 528 MHz channels. Other proposals are based on a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum implementation that divides the band 3.1–10.6 GHz into two channels. The development of a detailed standard could take more than a year from the date of an agreement on a general proposal for a standard.

The development of industry standards for UWB applications will facilitate the introduction of UWB systems (especially wireless personal area networks) into the market.

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3.4.5 UWB Developments in the ITU-R

Activities are presently underway within the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-R) to study the various aspects of UWB. In 2002, the ITU-R established Task Group 1/8 to urgently study UWB issues.

ITU-R Task Group 1/8 is tasked with the development of:

  • a recommendation on the characteristics of UWB systems;
  • recommendation(s) addressing compatibility between UWB and radiocommunication services;
  • a recommendation providing guidance to administrations on a spectrum management framework for UWB; and
  • a recommendation on measurement techniques for UWB emissions.

ITU-R Task Group 1/8 is progressing its work on the development of recommendations on UWB characteristics, compatibility methodologies, a spectrum management framework, and measurement techniques, as well as on a report on compatibility studies.

3.4.6 UWB Activities in Canada

A number of Canadian companies are developing UWB applications. For example, Canada has the largest manufacturer worldwide of UWB ground penetrating radar systems. Several Canadian companies also intend to market UWB applications. In addition, there are ongoing research and development activities on UWB at Canadian universities and research centres.

Industry Canada is evaluating national UWB developments as well as conducting studies on compatibility between UWB systems and other radiocommunication systems. Industry Canada is keeping the Canadian industry, through the Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC) and other interested parties, well informed of the latest UWB developments. Industry Canada is also following the standardization efforts within the IEEE groups, and actively participating in international and regional UWB activities including the activities of the ITU-R and the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL).

4 The fractional bandwidth is defined by the FCC as 2(fH-fL)x100/(fH+fL), where fH and fL are the upper and lower frequencies of the –10 dB points from the highest radiated emission, respectively.
5 In July 2002, the FCC issued a waiver that allows UWB ground penetrating radar and wall imaging systems purchased before 15 July 2002 to also operate in the band 960 – 3 100 MHz.
6 The information provided by the UWB operator shall include the name, address and other pertinent contact information of the user, the desired geographical area(s) of operation, the FCC ID number and other nomenclature of the UWB device.
7 The Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications.
8 Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore.

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