========================== Wireless Systems Design UPDATE PlanetEE - www.planetee.com WSD - www.wsdmag.com February 8, 2005 ==========================

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Today's Table of Contents: 1. Viewpoint: Technologies Look To Bring Backup Power Out Of Flux 2. Off-The-Cuff: Beware The Evil Twin 3. CMOS Memory Fuse Can Be Programmed Many Times 4. Novel Mesh Network Boosts Bandwidth By 50X 5. IP Platform Streamlines 3G SoC Designs 6. Signal-Analyzer Users Try Analysis Software For Free 7. Technology Automates Porting of Mobile Applications 8. HSDPA Test Calls Employ Commercial Data Cards 9. New Books and Reviews > CDMA Systems Capacity Engineering 10. In-Depth Coverage Links > Mesh Networking Smooths Traffic Flow > Effective WLAN Testing Begins To Emerge 11. Happenings - Conferences

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*********************** 1. Viewpoint - Industry *********************** Technologies Look To Bring Backup Power Out Of Flux By Eoin Connolly, Plug Power

Across the wireless industry, a confluence of factors has made the upgrade of backup power a top priority. Networks are straining to handle the burgeoning number of products and the skyrocketing demand for them. At the same time, networks must provide... View article at --> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15BD:FFCBF PlugPower --> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C9:FFCBF

*********************** 2. Off-The-Cuff *********************** Beware The Evil Twin By Lisa Maliniak, Contributing Editor

The wireless Internet is everywhere. Wi-Fi hot spots allow you to go online at places ranging from coffee shops and airports to last month's inaugural parade in Washington. And the wireless card in my new notebook computer recently revealed that my own living room is a hot spot. As the wireless Internet increases in popularity, however, the threat posed by security problems grows as well. How much security do public hot spots offer? Once, evil twins were the exclusive domain of daytime soap operas and other farfetched dramas. Now, they're poised to wreak havoc on wireless web surfers. According to wireless-Internet and cyber-crime experts at Cranfield University in the U.K., so-called "Evil Twin" hot spots are the latest wireless security threat. Dr. Phil Nobles, a wireless-security specialist at the university, explains that Evil Twin hot spots present a hidden danger for web users. "In essence, users think they've logged onto a wireless hot-spot connection when, in fact, they've been tricked to connect to the attacker's unauthorized base station. The latter jams the connection to a legitimate base station by sending a stronger signal within close proximity to the wireless client--thereby turning itself into an Evil Twin." After users are connected to the Evil Twin, the cyber criminal can intercept any sensitive data being transmitted, such as bank details or personal information. Unwitting web users are invited to log in to the attacker's server with bogus login prompts. They may even provide sensitive data like user names and passwords, which can then be used by unauthorized third parties. This type of cyber crime goes largely undetected because users are unaware that it took place until well after the incident has occurred. Probably most troubling is that cyber criminals don't have to be all that clever to carry out such an attack. Because wireless networks are based on radio signals, they can be easily detected by unauthorized users who are tuning into the same frequency. The Cranfield University findings on the Evil Twin don't just spotlight that single threat. They also draw attention to users' vulnerability and the overall need for wireless-security measures. The next time you plan to transmit sensitive data over a Wi-Fi network, ask yourself this: Do you know if your wireless signal is safe?

*********************** 3. News *********************** CMOS Memory Fuse Can Be Programmed Many Times

Most chip designs require some form of reprogrammable nonvolatile memory. After all, one-time-programmable memories lack much-needed flexibility. To fill that need, designers can license the Advanced Erasable Fuse (AEFuse) memory from Impinj, Inc. The embedded-nonvolatile-memory cores provide chip designers with a multiple-time-programmable (MTP) fuse that's manufacturable in standard-logic CMOS processes. The AEFuse product line provides a new architecture that's well suited for many low-bit-count storage applications. Examples of such applications include system address and ID information storage in chips for wireless LANs, RF headsets, and RF speakers. AEFuse memory is a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional fuse technologies. Plus, it provides up to 1000 re-write cycles. Available immediately, AEFuse hard IP blocks are silicon-proven and fully characterized in TSMC's 0.25-micron and 0.18-micron logic CMOS processes. Qualification is underway and expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2005. Impinj, Inc. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15CC:FFCBF

*********************** 4. News *********************** Novel Mesh Network Boosts Bandwidth By 50X

An innovative mesh network yields more than a 50X bandwidth improvement over traditional mesh networks for VoIP and mobile data applications. The MD-300 family of three-radio Structured Mesh software and systems from MeshDynamics features a distinctive multi-radio, multi-channel backhaul path with automatic channel selection. A conventional mesh node has one radio to relay packets through the mesh. As a result, it can't send and receive data at the same time. In addition, all radios share the same spectrum in a conventional mesh, causing degradation when traffic is high. MeshDynamics' three-radio Structured Mesh eliminates the problems that arise when a set of algorithms uses two radios per backhaul path per node and separate service radios--all operating on different spectrums. The MD-300 family is already being used successfully at several sites. MeshDynamics ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C3:FFCBF

*********************** 5. News *********************** IP Platform Streamlines 3G SoC Designs

Recently, TTP Communications and ARM announced a strategic partnership to design and develop 3G intellectual-property (IP) platforms that incorporate ARM processors and TTPCom cellular-baseband-engine technology. The new platforms, which combine an ARM-technology-based subsystem and TTPCom's 3G baseband, will help reduce time to market and costs for semiconductor vendors developing 3G SoC designs. The first of these pre-verified platforms will be the CBEmacro 3G. This multimode-cellular baseband engine provides a complete communications subsystem for GSM, GPRS, EDGE, W-CDMA, and HSDPA. TTP Communications ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15CD:FFCBF ARM ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15D0:FFCBF

*********************** 6. News *********************** Signal-Analyzer Users Try Analysis Software For Free

Anritsu Co. and The MathWorks, Inc. are offering a 30-day free trial of The MathWorks' MATLAB analysis software and their jointly developed connectivity option. This free offer is for users of Anritsu's new Signature signal analyzer. Signature provides the spectrum- and signal-analysis tools that engineers need to design and manufacture advanced RF and microwave communications systems including WLAN, 3G, and 4G. RF design engineers can experience and evaluate the combination of Signature's signal measurements with MATLAB's analysis capability. Signature customers may download the MATLAB trial key and immediately begin the evaluation. For more information on the download, see www.mathworks.com/Anritsu. Anritsu Co. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C7:FFCBF The MathWorks, Inc. ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C8:FFCBF

*********************** 7. International News *********************** Technology Automates Porting of Mobile Applications

Mobile-device fragmentation can force a software developer to create over 100 versions of his or her application. However, the Tira Jump product suite from Toronto-based Tira Wireless promises to save developers from this task. Essentially, the Tira Jump product suite automates the process of porting mobile applications. The product is based on the company's Jump technology, which solves the fragmentation and quality challenges of mobile Java application deployment. Tira Jump enables the porting of mobile software programs across 200 different handsets as well as multiple languages and mobile operator requirements. The company also announced its new Tira Certified Partner Network. This network was created to ensure that mobile content providers have the flexibility to use service organizations that are certified to provide Tira Jump porting services. Tira Wireless ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C2:FFCBF

*********************** 8. International News *********************** HSDPA Test Calls Employ Commercial Data Cards

Nortel and Sierra Wireless are collaborating to jointly test and market solutions using High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), an emerging broadband wireless technology. The companies have completed an initial series of live test calls in and around Nortel's Wireless Center of Excellence in Chateaufort, France using the Sierra Wireless AirCard 850 data cards and UMTS network equipment from Nortel. The calls were made from a laptop computer in a moving automobile with connection speeds averaging 800 kbps. Nortel recently announced plans for a major Pan-European HSDPA network deployment with mmO2. It also is working with a number of other global operators on HSDPA trials and deployments in 2005. Commercial field trials with the Sierra Wireless AirCard 850 are expected to begin later this year. Nortel ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15CE:FFCBF Sierra Wireless ==> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C0:FFCBF

*********************** 9. New Books And Reviews *********************** CDMA Systems Capacity Engineering By Kiseon Kim and Insoo Koo ISBN: 1-58053-812-6 Publisher: Artech House, Inc.

Although millions of cell-phone users make calls every day, most of them never give thought to how the wireless cellular infrastructure can support such a massive volume of transmissions. But the issue of capacity--how many users can be included in a communication system and how many calls can be handled by that system--is an important one. It also is the topic of a book by Kiseon Kim and Insoo Koo. Because wireless bandwidth is a scarce resource, the communication system must utilize multiple access techniques. Large numbers of users then have the potential to share that resource. This book focuses on a well-established and proven technique for voice transmission: code division multiple access (CDMA). The book takes a hands-on approach to capacity planning and the engineering issues needed to optimize wireless-communication-systems performance. The authors go beyond the system physical level and investigate CDMA system capacity at the service level. The information and instruction provided by the book aim to help communication engineers optimize CDMA network performance and analyze CDMA capacity. They also will learn to quantify system capacity and create resource-management and capacity strategies. In addition, readers will find out how to analyze voice, data, and multimedia traffic in systems where channel elements are limited. Resources include case studies, analytic methods for CDMA queues, and detailed operations scenarios. Artech House --> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C4:FFCBF

*********************** 10. In-Depth Coverage Links *********************** From off-the-shelf components, it's possible to build a DGPS/wireless-mesh system that reduces accidents and congestion. To learn more, read "Mesh Networking Smooths Traffic Flow." Mesh-networking article --> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15BE:FFCBF

WLAN designers must analyze performance, scalability, and mobility metrics with a reliable, real-world approach. To learn more, read "Effective WLAN Testing Begins To Emerge." WLAN-testing story --> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15BC:FFCBF

*********************** 11. Happenings - Conferences *********************** GPS-Wireless 2005 Marriott Hotel-San Francisco Airport, San Francisco, CA February 24-25, 2005 http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C1:FFCBF EclipseCon 2005 Hyatt Regency, Burlingame, CA Feb. 28 - March 3, 2005 http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15CB:FFCBF

RFID World 2005 Gaylord Texan Resort, Dallas, Texas March 1-3, 2005 http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15C6:FFCBF

Read past issues of Wireless Systems Design UPDATE e-Newsletter: http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=15CF:FFCBF

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