Wireless Communication Terms You Should Know

Take a moment to think about the many applications of wireless communications. From smartphones and laptop computers to speaking with a family member living thousands of miles away, this technology has become an essential part of everyday life. Let’s examine some common phrases, and the importance of each.

Duplex Communications

This first phrase is used to describe systems that allow individuals to simultaneously transmit and receive signals (the wireless headset manufactured by Globalsys is a real-world example). Duplex communications are used by various military agencies, and they have already been employed by emergency services such as police, civil defence authorities, and fire departments. Note that this may also be referred to a full-duplex system.

Acoustic Attenuation

Acoustic attenuation describes how sound waves tend to be dissipated as they travel through various mediums (1). In terms of wireless communications, these can include:

Air (including factors such as humidity)
Distance
Obstructions (such as walls and buildings)

While a certain proportion of signal strength may be lost (particularly in proportion to distance), modern devices employ various methods to decrease the overall effects.

Mobile Robustness Optimisation

Often abbreviated as MRO, Mobile Robustness Optimisation is yet another important term associated with wireless communications. The main intention of this technology is to mitigate issues with user mobility (2). Garbled communications, failed handovers, and dropped calls are three common examples. MRO is particularly relevant within environments known for dense wireless traffic (such as urban locations). Without Mobile Robustness Optimisation, a radio link failure (RLF) may otherwise occur. MRO is particularly critical for vital emergency services, and within military settings. However, everyday mobile phones also rely on this technology to guarantee that users can talk to one another without experiencing a loss of signal.

VOX

While not limited to wireless communications, this next term still plays a crucial role throughout the telecom industry. VOX is an acronym for “Voice-Operated Exchange”, and is commonly found within two-way devices. A VOX system will allow users to initiate communications without needing to activate a push-to-talk button. In other words, it provides a hands-off edge that is often vital when performing various activities. VOX-enabled devices are employed throughout the military, and they also enjoy several civilian applications (such as when used by a ground crew at an airport terminal).

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

This lesser-known phrase is another important concept to appreciate. Many types of wireless communications are subject to interference; especially when transmitting over long distances. Digital signal processing is a means by which computer-generated algorithms automatically remove unwanted background sounds (noise cancellation). While this is a rather complicated process, it can still be broken down into three stages:

The incoming audio is analysed.
Unwanted sounds are identified.
An “anti-noise” signal is generated; cancelling out extraneous sounds.

Interestingly enough, DSP technology can be seen in many other industries. One example involves filtering signals generated from a human heartbeat during an electrocardiogram (3).

Keep in mind that these are only a few of the numerous terms that have come to define the wireless community, and even more innovative approaches will continue to emerge well into the future. Those who wish to perform additional research will find a wealth of information online.

Sources:

1.https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/acoustic-attenuation

2.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360201855_Mobility_Robustness_Optimization_in_Future_Mobile_Heterogeneous_Networks_A_Survey

3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/noise-cancellation

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