Freedom to Connect 2012 speaker MIke Marcus on the history of wireless. The video for this presentation is here:
http://youtu.be/H41zqtyxLW4
Marcus is introduced by Dewayne Hendricks.
UiPath Community: Communication Mining from Zero to Hero
F2C 2012: Mike Marcus
1. www.marcus-spectrum.com
Michael J. Marcus, Sc.D., F-IEEE
Former Associate Chief for Technology
FCC Office of Engineering and Technology
Director, Marcus Spectrum Solutions, LLC
Cabin John, MD, USA
www.marcus-spectrum.com
Adjunct Professor
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Virginia Tech
N3JMM/
7J1AKO
Technology Regulation
2. Overview
Will review interaction of regulation and technology in wireless
technology
How a bipartisan political movement for deregulation
unexpectedly removed roadblocks that kept a promising
wireless technology & underutilized bands locked in “Pandora’s
box”
Serendipity and (generally good) unexpected consequences
Today’s ubiquitous Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and other useful
niche applications
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3. Why Is Wireless Different than Other
Technologies?
Basic spectrum policy concepts were formed in
aftermath of Titanic sinking 100 years ago
Many regulators resemble Soviet economic planners,
projecting demands and allocating resources
Classically, entrepreneurs, “disruptive innovation” and
niche applications get little attention
Wi-Fi started as a niche application!
Technology Regulation
4. 4
Birth of Unlicensed in US
US legislation does not provide
explicitly for unlicensed use
1st system was a Philco remote control
system for radio receivers in late 30s
FCC ruled that since it was unlikely to
cause interference license was not
needed
Subsequent legislation has noted
unlicensed but never explicitly
authorized it
ARRL claims FCC has no legal basis for
unlicensed
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5. The Strange Case of iTrip: 5
T
The Classic Problem for Unlicensed in Some Countries
Prescriptive nature of spectrum
regulation in many countries held
back unlicensed innovation, e.g.
iTrip is a low power FM transmitter
user to connect iPod music to
nearby FM broadcast receivers
In US, FCC has allowed such low
power systems for decades
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/
media/news/2006/11/nr_2
0061123b
But were banned in Europe for
several years because of lack of
rules in this area
Technology Regulation
6. Traditional Spectrum Policy
Prioritize uses of spectrum
Controls interference and market entry
Pick technological winners and losers
GSM was extremely successful and came from
such a policy environment
Only GSM equipment can be sold in Europe and
some other countries (prior to 3G)
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7. But Wi-Fi and Bluetooth can from a Very
Different Background than GSM!
Rest of presentation will explore technical and regulatory
roots of of Wi-Fi
If traditional spectrum management is similar to Soviet
economic policy, the origins here are based
Госплан on Field of Dreams concepts
“If you believe the impossible,
the incredible can come true.”
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8. Roots of Wi-Fi (and Bluetooth)
Wi-Fi came about as a result of spectrum deregulation
creating a “blank slate” for innovators
Spread spectrum (SS) was the basis for creation of
spectrum that became the home of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Prior to FCC 1981-1985 action, SS was implicitly banned in
general
Carter-era FCC sought to remove barriers from technology to
stimulate economy
SS was selected as initial area
SS was the core technology of Wi-Fi until 802.11(g)
and continues as Bluetooth core
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9. Hedy Lamarr:
Legendary Inventor of Spread Spectrum
As is often reported in popular press, Hedy Lamarr
was awarded an early frequency hopping spread
spectrum* patent during WWII
But invention was not reduced to practice
Like with the computer, it is probably impossible to
identify a single inventor of spread spectrum
• Spread spectrum comes in 2 “flavors”: direct
sequence/pseudonoise and frequency hopping.
Wi-Fi started as DS/PN, Bluetooth is FH
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10. 1953 MIT Lincoln Lab System
Developed by Paul Green
(later of IBM) as a thesis
project
One of earliest SS/PN
systems
More related to early Wi-Fi
and Qualcomm CDMA than
Lamarr concept
Technology of the day
required large size
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11. Early Literature
In the 1950-1970’s spread spectrum generally remained a
classified technology with only occasional references in the
open literature.
My first exposure was at a classified 1972 conference
Only textbook-like discussion was a classified Sylvania
report for NSA
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12. Dixon’s Book 1975
First comprehensive, though
mathematically inelegant, unclassified
treatment of spread spectrum
Introduced a generation of designers to the
technology
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13. Commercial Spread Spectrum
c. 1979
Magnavox produces a
“civil” version of
AN/ARC-50/90
Unit shown is modem,
separate transceiver
needed
Japan MPT purchases
and tests for possible civil
applications
Concludes no practical
value for civil use!
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14. Setting the Stage for Wi-Fi:
Prophets of Deregulation
Pres. Carter Alfred Kahn Pres. Reagan
Cornell University Professor
Former Chairman of
New York PUC
US Civil Aeronautics Board
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15. FCC Chairman Ferris (1977-81)
Makes Deregulation FCC Focus
Translates Kahn’s concepts and Carter’s mandate into more
specific program:
Identify technologies that are being held back by anachronistic
regulations and “liberate” them - so they can sink or swim
under their own merits
Hires former (D)ARPA Director Steve Lukasik to implement
program
Spread spectrum identified as a candidate technology
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16. FCC Chairman Fowler (1981-87)
Makes Spread Spectrum Deregulation Part of “Reagan Agenda”
Chmn. Fowler replaces Chmn. Ferris after the Reagan election
While disagreeing with predecessor on many issues, he
embraces the spread spectrum initiative seeing its connection to
Reagan’s deregulatory agenda – despite mainstream industry
opposition
“Looking back, it is clear that adoption of these rules was one of the
significant achievements of the Reagan FCC —though I doubt if anyone
thought so at the time.” 4/08
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17. Early FCC Action
1980 MITRE Corp. report to
study options for civil use of
spread spectrum
Best 70K FCC ever spent!!
Raises unlicensed option
Available from NTIS as PB81-165284
and on MITRE site
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18. Early FCC Action
1981 2 initiative begun:
Docket 81-413 – General use
Docket 81-414 – Amateur radio use
While H-P (now Agilent) was supportive, most industry
opposed
IEEE IT Society filed support
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19. 1985
May 9, 1985 FCC adopts spread spectrum
rules in ISM bands
1 W limit
PN or FH
Almost any application
But no explicit mention of Wi-Fi-like RLANs
Same basic rules until 2002
incorporated July 1985
CDMA becomes major cellular player
Key part of most 3G mobile systems
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20. “First Light”
In 1988 the first real commercial
spread spectrum product
appeared – a LAN
“Spontaneous generation” –
developer was a Canadian
startup aiming at using new
FCC rules!
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21. Creation of IEEE 802.11
5 years after 81-413 decision - after several
proprietary products tested the market and
explored technologies - 3 pioneering firms joined
in IEEE 802.11 to explore 2 niche applications:
Wireless cash registers
Warehouse mobile bar codescanners
(building on supermarket scanners)
Vic Hayes of NCR’s lab in Holland
leads standardization discussions
22. 1991 Snapshot
Many key players went to Quebec
woods to discuss the future of
spread spectrum
“Myth or Reality”
Future was still not clear
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24. Unexpected Uses of Wi-Fi
& Related Systems
Municipal Wi-Fi
Supermarket
Public system at marina customer product
scanning while
shopping
Bathtub with Wi-Fi iPod music link §15.249 Equipment – Cousin of ISM Band rules
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25. The FCC Team That Lead ISM Band
Policy 1979-1985
From left: Robert Powers, Stephen Lukasik, Elliot Maxwell, MM, Marjorie "Peggy" Reed Greene
May 2010
26. Are “Unlicensed” or “802” Magic
Elixirs of Success?
“.com” once seen as magic elixir
Some other unlicensed initiatives, some with broad
industry support, have had little success:
U-PCS, U-NII, UWB, HiperLan
Unlicensed with detailed regulations may not be able
to adapt to meet demand
802 efforts to standardize UWB were unsuccessful
802.16 (WiMax) has had mixed success
Today’s 802 is very different than 1990
27. Conclusions “If you believe the impossible,
the incredible can come true.”
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth had their roots in White House-directed deregulation to stimulate
economic growth
A major break from previous “Soviet style” planning of radio spectrum where bureaucrats
tried to predict markets, technologies, and demands years in advance
Deregulatory concepts grew into a new worldwide market serving unanticipated needs
for mobility
Synergy of unlicensed and regulatory flexibility is powerful approach to facilitate wireless
innovation and economic growth
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More details and other sources at:
http://www.marcus-spectrum.com/SSHistory.htm
Technology Regulation