WIRELESS SIGNALTRANSMISSION

Wireless signal transmission is the transfer of information over long distance without using electrical conductors or wires. Wireless signal transmission system uses electrical energy which is converted to Electromagnetic waves such as radio, infrared, microwave or light waves to transmit signals.

Radio transmission system uses radio waves to transmit signals. Radio waves have wavelength from 1mm to 100,000 km and have a frequency ranging from 3HZ to 300GHZ. Radio waves frequencies are subdivided into six bands. Radio waves at high frequencies are prone to be absorbed by rain and other obstacles.

Infrared transmission system uses infrared light to transmit signals. Infrared waves lie in between visible light spectrum and microwaves. It has wavelength of 700nm to 1mm and frequency ranges from 300GHZ to 430THZ. Infrared waves are used for very short range communication purposes such as television and it’s remote. Infrared travels in a straight line so they are directional by nature. Infrared because of its frequency range do not cross wall like obstacles. Infrared waves are used for very short range communication.

Microwave transmission system uses high frequency radio waves to transmit signals. Microwave signals travel in straight lines and can have wavelength ranging from 1nm to 1m and frequency ranging from 300MHZ to 300GHZ. Microwave antennas concentrate the waves making a beam of it. Microwaves at higher frequencies do not penetrate walls like obstacles. Microwaves transmission depends highly upon the weather condition and the frequency it is using.

Light transmission system uses light waves for data transmission as light or optical signaling. This is achieved by the means of LASER. Light uses laser transmissions beams to transmit signals such that a communication LASER and photo-detectors are installed to work together to relay signals. LASERs cannot penetrate obstacles like walls, rain and thick fog. LASERS are safe for data transmission. LASER beams are generally 1mm wide.

The components of a wireless signal transmission system are as follows; transmitter, receiver, antenna, frequency generator, modulation scheme device, channel and network infrastructure.

The transmitter is the device that converts the information signal into a modulated signal that can be transmitted wirelessly, amplifies the modulated signal to increase its power and converts the electrical signal into electromagnetic waves that can be transmitted.

The receiver is the device that captures the transmitted signal and converts it back into its original form.

The antenna is a critical component of a wireless transmission system responsible for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves.

The frequency generator produces the carrier frequency that is used to transmit the information signal. The frequency generator is critical in determining the frequency band and the channel used for transmission.

The modulation scheme devices use a modulation scheme to determine how the information signal is encoded unto the carrier wave frequency.

The channel refers to the medium through which the signal is transmitted.

The network infrastructure is used to manage and direct the transmission traffic to where it is needed.

The network infrastructure may consist of the following; wireless local area network (WLAN), cellular networks, wireless wide area networks (WWAN), wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN), satellite networks and other network infrastructures.

The advantages of wireless signal transmission are as follows; wireless signal transmission enables users to be mobile while connected to a network. Wireless signal transmission eliminates the need for cables making it easier to deploy and use. Wireless signal transmission enables devices to be used in a variety of settings and environments. Wireless signal transmission can reduce the cost of installing, operating and maintaining wired or cable based infrastructure.

The disadvantages of wireless signal transmission are as follows; wireless signal transmission can be affected by interference from other devices or physical obstacles. Wireless signal transmissions are vulnerable to hacking and unauthorized access. Wireless signal transmission can have limited range requiring additional infrastructure to extend its coverage area. Also exposure to radio frequency can cause health concern.

Wireless signal transmission finds widespread applications in the following industries: telecommunication industry for mobile, satellite and wireless broadband, Internet of things network for device to device communication, Health care for medical devices, telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. Entertainment industry for streaming services, online gaming, smart TVs and so on.

The future of wireless signal transmission will depend on the advances and development of the following technologies: next generation network such as 5G and 6G and beyond, Internet of things integration with wireless networks, and advances in wireless technologies both hardware and software such as Li-Fi and VLC will no doubt extend the capacity, capability and efficiency of current wireless signal transmission networks.

 

SOURCES:

• Fundamental of wireless communication by David Tse and Pramod Viswanath.
• Wireless communications by Andrea Goldsmith.
• Advanced wireless transmission technologies by Hong-Chuan Yang and Mohamed Slim Alouini.
• Wireless communications and networks: An introduction by Behrouz A. Foacuzan.
• Wireless transmission and networks by Xian Zhong Xie.