What is ultra wide band? What you can do with it?

Introduction

Just like Bluetooth and WiFi, UWB (Ultra-Wideband) is a short-range, wireless communication protocol. UWB’s attractions come in the forms of its high data rate, low energy consumption, anti-interference capability, etc. In this blog, we get into the definition, key benefits, and uasge of ultra-wideband technology.

What is ultra wide band?

UWB (ultra-wideband, ultra wide band, ultra-wide band) is a wireless technology that is limited to communication within short range. It was previously called the impulse radio, but it's currently defined as antenna transmission with a signal bandwidth exceeds the lesser of 500 MHz or 20% of the arithmetic center frequency. UWB technology transmits data by sending short, narrow radio pulses, is suitable for accurately measuring the arrival of the signal. The most important applications of these two capacities are the precise positioning of a UWB-enabled device and the distance measurement.

How does ultra wide band work?

Nowadays, UWB (Ultra-wideband) technology is mainly utilized for high-precision distance measurement. If two UWB devices are near to each other, one device called as the transmitter sends a short radio pulse to the other device which is the receiver. After the bounce of the pulse, the receiver rapidly gives a reply pulse. Then the radio sender measures the duration that has passed between the transmission and the reception of the response (also called the time of flight). This time can, after factoring in the speed of light, be used to calculate the distance between the two devices.

Ultra wide band frequencies

The UWB frequency band can vary accross countries according to their radio regulations. In the U.S., the FCC has allocated a bandwith of 7.5 GHz (3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz) for the unlicensed UWB applications. This year, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology redrew the UWB frequency range in order to make it from 7163 MHz to 8812 MHz. The frequency bands of UWB will be continuously updated in the future since the UWB technology is developing and the wireless technologies that use the spectrum resource required are varied.

What are the benefits of ultra wide band?

High positioning accuracy: UWB technology avoids the drawbacks of signal strength and apply Time-of-Flight (ToF), Two-way Ranging(TWR), Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) or Angle Of Arrival(AoA) to give precise distance for devices.

High-speed wireless communication: Due to its high bandwidth, UWB provides an extremely high data transmission rate that are useful for real-time communications.

Low-power: Since UWB signals employ a low power spectral density, this means devices do not need to transmit with high energy. It allows the battery to last even longer and is crucial, especially for devices that are battery operated such as UWB beacons, asset tags, or using digital key.

Low interference: UWB frequency operates over a very wide range of frequencies (3.1–10.6 GHz) thus helping to mitigate the effect of interference from narrow bandwidth sources.

Uses of ultra wide band

Smartphone

Smartphone brands are using UWB (ultra-wideband) technology for more accurate location-based services. Users now can easily locate their UWB beacons or tags with remarkable accuracy to quickly find their lost items.

Medical

Real-time vital sign measurements with high accuracy can be used in wearable medical devices optimized for UWB, which will enable health care systems to become more efficient.

Automotive

Digital and physical car keys are also enabled by UWB, allowing a wide range of touchless use cases for new functions like state-based access control: in other words, the vehicle unlocks as you start to approach (physically or digitally), making it feel alive.

Industrial

The high precision tracking of UWB is a game changer for several different industries. For logistics, it makes tracking of assets and parcels simple; for mega shopping malls, the technology ensures precise indoor navigation for consumers while featuring as an efficient proximity marketing tool that businesses tap into.

What is the difference among ultra wide band, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth?

Bluetooth and WiFi are already some of the most common wireless communication systems. So, you may wonder: with these well-established systems, why another wireless standard is required? Let us analyze it in a comparative manner.

UWB vs. Bluetooth LE (BLE)

Bluetooth and WiFi both work at the 2.4 GHz band which makes them susceptible to interferences, where in signals can also be reflected or absorbed easily, especially in highly obstructed environments. Bluetooth measures the distance in between two devices by assessing the power of the signal sent, which may not work in some cases when there are many obstructions in between. Whereas, UWB is more robust against interference primarily because it has a wide spectrum and employs techniques such as Time of Flight (ToF) that ensures accuracy. However, UWB is expensive and sometimes does not function without an active power source but BLE beacons is still the preferred solution because they are cost-effective and of more compatible.

UWB vs. Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi for indoor positioning system is typically another mainstream solution, plus the advantage of its availability in public as well as private places all over the world. However, Like Bluetooth, WiFi employs the 2.4 GHz band and distance estimation is also based on the signal strength which suffers the same problems. Also, due to the UWB’s power advantage over WiFi, which is the reason why WiFi routers always have to be on power, WiFi has a much higher power requirement than UWB. Though it’s quite costly due to high installation expenses, UWB’s low battery consumption and accuracy are especially advantageous for some use cases.

Minew innovate ultra wide band technology

The MBM01 Ultra-Long Range Beacon integrates BLE and UWB technology to deliver an advanced solution. Supporting Direction Finding, high-throughput data transfer at 2 Mbps, and API integration, it provides a seamless approach for analyzing shopping habits and implementing precision marketing in smart retail.

MBS02 Location Beacon unlocks the potential of UWB and BLE to enhance route navigation and deliver notifications and promotions directly to customers. With an impressive 6.5 years of battery life and an IP67 rating, the MBS02 beacon can help transform your store into a preferred destination.