Wireless

The term wireless has been used twice in communications history, with slightly different meanings. It was initially used from about 1890 for the first radio transmitting and receiving technology, as in wireless telegraphy, until the new word radio replaced it around 1920. Radio sets in the UK and the English-speaking world that were not portable continued to be referred to as wireless sets into the 1960s.^[1][2] The term wireless was revived in the 1980s and 1990s mainly to distinguish digital devices that communicate without wires, such as the examples listed in the previous paragraph, from those that require wires or cables. This became its primary usage in the 2000s, due to the advent of technologies such as mobile broadband, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

Wireless operations permit services, such as mobile and interplanetary communications, that are impossible or impractical to implement with the use of wires. The term is commonly used in the telecommunications industry to refer to telecommunications systems (e.g. radio transmitters and receivers, remote controls, etc.) that use some form of energy (e.g.

Photophone

The first wireless telephone conversation occurred in 1880 when Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter invented the photophone, the telephone that sent audio over a beam of light. The photophone required sunlight to operate, and a clear line of sight between the transmitter and receiver, which greatly decreased the viability of the photophone in any practical use.^[6] It would be several decades before the photophone's principles found their first practical applications in military communications and later in fiber-optic communications.

Electric wireless technology

Early wireless

A number of wireless electrical signaling schemes including sending electric currents through water and the ground using electrostatic and

The Edison system was used by stranded trains during the Great Blizzard of 1888 and earth conductive systems found limited use between trenches during World War I but these systems were never successful economically.

Radio waves

In 1894,

Radio and

Free-space optical communication (FSO) is an optical communication technology that uses light propagating in free space to transmit wireless data for telecommunications or computer networking. "Free space" means the light beams travel through the open air or outer space. This contrasts with other communication technologies that use light beams traveling through transmission lines such as optical fiber or dielectric "light pipes".

The technology is useful where physical connections are impractical due to high costs or other considerations. For example, free space optical links are used in cities between office buildings that are not wired for networking, where the cost of running cable through the building and under the street would be prohibitive. Another widely used example is

Sonic

Sonic, especially ultrasonic short-range communication involves the transmission and reception of sound.

Electromagnetic induction

Electromagnetic induction only allows short-range communication and power transmission. It has been used in biomedical situations such as pacemakers, as well as for short-range RFID tags.

Services

Common examples of wireless equipment include:^[17]

• Infrared and ultrasonic remote control devices
• Professional LMR (
  Land Mobile Radio) and SMR (Specialized Mobile Radio
  ) are typically used by business, industrial, and Public Safety entities.
• Consumer Two-way radio including FRS Family Radio Service, GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service), and Citizens band ("CB") radios.
• The
  Amateur Radio
  Service (Ham radio).
• Consumer and professional
  Marine VHF radios
  .
• Airband and radio navigation equipment used by aviators and air traffic control
• Cellular telephones
  and pagers: provide connectivity for portable and mobile applications, both personal and business.
• Global Positioning System (GPS): allows drivers of cars and trucks, captains of boats and ships, and pilots of aircraft to ascertain their location anywhere on earth.^[18]
• Cordless computer peripherals: the cordless mouse is a common example; wireless headphones, keyboards, and printers can also be linked to a computer via wireless using technology such as Wireless USB or Bluetooth.
• Cordless telephone sets: these are limited-range devices, not to be confused with cell phones.
• Satellite television: Is broadcast from satellites in
  direct broadcast satellite
  to provide multiple television channels to viewers.

Electromagnetic spectrum

AM and FM radios and other electronic devices make use of the electromagnetic spectrum. The frequencies of the radio spectrum that are available for use for communication are treated as a public resource and are regulated by organizations such as the American Federal Communications Commission, Ofcom in the United Kingdom, the international ITU-R or the European ETSI. Their regulations determine which frequency ranges can be used for what purpose and by whom. In the absence of such control or alternative arrangements such as a privatized electromagnetic spectrum, chaos might result if, for example, airlines did not have specific frequencies to work under and an amateur radio operator was interfering with a pilot's ability to land an aircraft. Wireless communication spans the spectrum from 9 kHz to 300 GHz.^{[citation needed]}

Applications

Mobile telephones

One of the best-known examples of wireless technology is the mobile phone, also known as a cellular phone, with more than 6.6 billion mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide as of the end of 2010.^[19] These wireless phones use radio waves from signal-transmission towers to enable their users to make phone calls from many locations worldwide. They can be used within the range of the mobile telephone site used to house the equipment required to transmit and receive the radio signals from these instruments.^[20]

Data communications

Wireless data communications allow

ax, Wi-Fi has link speeds similar to older standards of wired Ethernet. Wi-Fi has become the de facto standard for access in private homes, within offices, and at public hotspots.^[25] Some businesses charge customers a monthly fee for service, while others have begun offering it free in an effort to increase the sales of their goods.^[26]

Cellular data service offers coverage within a range of 10-15 miles from the nearest

EDGE or CDMA2000.^[27][28] As of 2018, the proposed next generation is 5G

.

Low-power wide-area networks (

LPWAN) bridge the gap between Wi-Fi and Cellular for low-bitrate Internet of things

(IoT) applications.

Mobile-satellite communications may be used where other wireless connections are unavailable, such as in largely rural areas^[29] or remote locations.^[21] Satellite communications are especially important for transportation, aviation, maritime and military use.^[30]

Wireless sensor networks are responsible for sensing noise, interference, and activity in data collection networks. This allows us to detect relevant quantities, monitor and collect data, formulate clear user displays, and to perform decision-making functions^[31]

Wireless data communications are used to span a distance beyond the capabilities of typical cabling in point-to-point communication and point-to-multipoint communication, to provide a backup communications link in case of normal network failure, to link portable or temporary workstations, to overcome situations where normal cabling is difficult or financially impractical, or to remotely connect mobile users or networks.

Peripherals

Peripheral devices in computing can also be connected wirelessly, as part of a Wi-Fi network or directly via an optical or radio-frequency (RF) peripheral interface. Originally these units used bulky, highly local transceivers to mediate between a computer and a keyboard and mouse; however, more recent generations have used smaller, higher-performance devices. Radio-frequency interfaces, such as Bluetooth or Wireless USB, provide greater ranges of efficient use, usually up to 10 feet, but distance, physical obstacles, competing signals, and even human bodies can all degrade the signal quality.^[32] Concerns about the security of wireless keyboards arose at the end of 2007 when it was revealed that Microsoft's implementation of encryption in some of its 27 MHz models were highly insecure.^[33]

Energy transfer

Main article:

Wireless energy transfer

Wireless energy transfer is a process whereby electrical energy is transmitted from a power source to an electrical load that does not have a built-in power source, without the use of interconnecting wires. There are two different fundamental methods for wireless energy transfer. Energy can be transferred using either far-field methods that involve beaming power/lasers, radio or microwave transmissions, or near-field using electromagnetic induction.^[34] Wireless energy transfer may be combined with wireless information transmission in what is known as Wireless Powered Communication.^[35] In 2015, researchers at the University of Washington demonstrated far-field energy transfer using Wi-Fi signals to power cameras.^[36]

Medical technologies

New wireless technologies, such as mobile body area networks (MBAN), have the capability to monitor blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen level, and body temperature. The MBAN works by sending low-powered wireless signals to receivers that feed into nursing stations or monitoring sites. This technology helps with the intentional and unintentional risk of infection or disconnection that arise from wired connections.^[37]

Categories of implementations, devices, and standards

• 6G
• Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications
  )
• dPMR
• List of emerging technologies
• Radio station in accordance with ITU RR (article 1.61)
• Radiocommunication service
  in accordance with ITU RR (article 1.19)
• Radio communication system
• Short-range point-to-point communication:
  Near Field Communication
• Wireless sensor networks: Zigbee, EnOcean; Personal area networks, Bluetooth, TransferJet, Ultra-wideband (UWB from WiMedia Alliance).
• LMDS, WiMAX, and HiperMAN
  )

See also

• Comparison of wireless data standards
• Digital radio
• Hotspot (Wi-Fi)
• ISO 15118 (Vehicle to Grid)
• Li-Fi
• MiFi
• Mobile (disambiguation)
• Radio antenna
• Radio resource management (RRM)
• Timeline of radio
• Tuner (radio)
• Wireless access point
• Wireless security
• Wireless Wide Area Network
  (True wireless)
• WSSUS model

References

1. ^ U.S. Army (1944). Technical Manual. US War Department. Retrieved 13 August 2022. In definitions given in the index, p. 162, the term "radio set" is listed as synonymous with the term "wireless set"
2. ISBN 9781452909547
   . Retrieved 13 August 2022. (p.396) In a public opinion poll in Sweden in 1942, 31.4 percent answered 'Yes' to the question "Do you usually listen to the foreign news on the wireless?'
3. ^ "ATIS Telecom Glossary 2007". atis.org. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
4. S2CID 111149917
   .
5. S2CID 6076106
   .
6. ^ Amédée Guillemin (1891). Electricity and Magnetism. Macmillan and Company. p. 31. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
7. ISBN 978-0-313-34743-6
   .
8. List of IEEE milestones. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
   . Retrieved 1 October 2019.
9. S2CID 9039614. reprinted in Igor Grigorov, Ed., Antentop
   , Vol. 2, No.3, pp. 87–96.
10. ^ "Timeline". The Silicon Engine. Computer History Museum. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
11. ^ "1901: Semiconductor Rectifiers Patented as "Cat's Whisker" Detectors". The Silicon Engine. Computer History Museum. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
12. ^
    ISBN 9781420006728
    .
13. S2CID 46573735
    .
14. ^ "The wireless revolution". The Economist. 21 January 1999. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
15. ^
    ISBN 9789812561213
    .
16. ^ ^{a b} Harvey, Fiona (8 May 2003). "The Wireless Revolution". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
17. ^ Tech Target – Definition of Wireless – Posted by Margaret Rouse (2 April control and traffic control systems
18. ^ Tsai, Allen. "AT&T Releases Navigator GPS Service with Speech Recognition". Telecom Industry News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
19. ^ "Robust demand for mobile phone service will continue; UN agency predicts". UN News Centre. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
20. ^ Vilorio, Dennis. "You're a what? Tower Climber" (PDF). Occupational Outlook Quarterly. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
21. ^ ^{a b c} "High Speed Internet on the Road". Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
22. ^ "What is Connection Manager?". Microsoft Technet. 28 March 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
23. ^ "Our Products". Unwired Revolution. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
24. ^ "General Dynamics- NetMotion Mobility XE". Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
25. ^ "Wi-Fi". Retrieved 6 September 2011.
26. ^ O'Brien, J; Marakas, G.M (2008). Management Information Systems. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. p. 239.
27. ^ Aravamudhan, Lachu; Faccin, Stefano; Mononen, Risto; Patil, Basavaraj; Saifullah, Yousuf; Sharma, Sarvesh; Sreemanthula, Srinivas (4 July 2003). "Getting to Know Wireless Networks and Technology". InformIT. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
28. ^ "What really is a Third Generation (3G) Mobile Technology" (PDF). ITU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
29. ^ Geier, Jim (2008). "Wireless Network Industry Report 2007" (PDF). Wireless-Nets, Ltd. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
30. ISBN 9781402027840
    .
31. ISBN 9780471686590
    .
32. ^ Paventi, Jared (26 October 2013). "How does a Wireless Keyboard Work?". Ehow.
33. ^ Moser, Max; Schrödel, Philipp (5 December 2007). "27Mhz Wireless Keyboard Analysis Report aka 'We know what you typed last summer'" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
34. ^ Jones, George (14 September 2010). "Future Proof: How Wireless Energy Transfer Will Kill the Power Cable". MaximumPC.
35. ISBN 978-1-107-13569-7
    . Retrieved 17 April 2021.
36. ^ "First Demonstration of a Surveillance Camera Powered by Ordinary Wi-Fi Broadcasts". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
37. ^ Linebaugh, Kate (23 May 2012). "More Hospital Medical Devices to Go Wireless". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 13 May 2022.

Further reading

• Geier, Jim (2001). Wireless LANs. Sams.
  ISBN 0-672-32058-4
  .
• Goldsmith, Andrea (2005). Wireless Communications. Cambridge University Press.
  ISBN 0-521-83716-2
  .
• Larsson, Erik; Stoica, Petre (2003). Space-Time Block Coding For Wireless Communications. Cambridge University Press.
• Molisch, Andreas (2005). Wireless Communications. Wiley-IEEE Press.
  ISBN 0-470-84888-X
  .
• Pahlavan, Kaveh; Krishnamurthy, Prashant (2002). Principles of Wireless Networks – a Unified Approach. Prentice Hall.
  ISBN 0-13-093003-2
  .
• Pahlavan, Kaveh; Levesque, Allen H (1995). Wireless Information Networks. John Wiley & Sons.
  ISBN 0-471-10607-0
  .
• Rappaport, Theodore (2002). Wireless Communications: Principles and Practice. Prentice Hall.
  ISBN 0-13-042232-0
  .
• Rhoton, John (2001). The Wireless Internet Explained. Digital Press.
  ISBN 1-55558-257-5
  .
• Tse, David; Viswanath, Pramod (2005). Fundamentals of Wireless Communication. Cambridge University Press.
  ISBN 0-521-84527-0
  .

External links

Look up wireless in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Bibliography - History of wireless and radio broadcasting
• Nets, Webs and the Information Infrastructure at Wikibooks
• Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose - The man who (almost) invented the radio
• Wireless at
  Curlie