Название: 5G NR, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth LE 5: A Primer on Smartphone Wireless Technologies
Автор: Douglas H. Morais
Издательство: Springer
Год: 2023
Страниц: 191
Язык: английский
Формат: pdf (true), epub
Размер: 11.6 MB

This book provides, at a high level and in a tractable fashion, a description of how wireless communications are achieved in the latest smartphones. The author shows how smartphones communicate via three separate systems, namely 5G NR, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth Low Energy 5. He explains how 5G NR allows mobile voice and high-speed data communication, how Wi-Fi allows smartphone attachment to the Internet independent of 5G NR, and how Bluetooth allows smartphone attachment to speakers, in-car entertainment systems, smart watches, etc. This text explains the key basic technologies employed and then addresses how each system operates. This book is of interest to anyone with a rudimentary scientific understanding who desires to know more at an intuitive level rather than rigorous one how smartphones achieve wireless communications.

Wireless communications in today’s world is diverse and ubiquitous. However, its largest and most visible segment is arguably cellular mobile networks. Originally these networks provided voice communication only over analog networks. However, they have, over time, evolved into all digital networks providing more and more data capacity, to the point that the latest such networks communicate so-called packet switched data only. Now voice, video, and other applications are all converted to data and integrated into a common packet switched data stream. In such mobile networks, the coverage area consists of multiple adjacent cells, with each cell containing a fixed base station. Transmission to and from an individual mobile unit is normally between that unit and the base station that provides the best communication, and the coverage area around the base station can extend to several kilometers. Such communication is commonly referred to as mobile access and today most mobile units are so-called smartphones, the most iconic of which is arguably the Apple iPhone. A smartphone is much more than a phone. It is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone communications with a host of computing functions. Further, in addition to mobile access, it incorporates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS navigation wireless communication technologies.

By including Wi-Fi, it avails itself, particularly in indoor environments, of high-speed Internet access independent of what can at times be costly and slow mobile access. This can be very helpful in high density locations such as airports, shopping malls, sporting arenas, etc. Further, it allows the smartphone to act as a “hotspot,” allowing one to connect devices such as laptops and tablets to the Internet via the smartphone. By including Bluetooth, it allows very short-range wireless communication between the smartphone and a range of devices such as speakers, headphones, hearing aids, and smart watches. By including GPS navigation, it allows precise device location. It is the aim of this text to convey at a high level and in an easily understood fashion, the latest technologies behind mobile access, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth wireless communication. First, however, presented below are brief histories of mobile access, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth as well as a cursory look at GPS.