RF Components for Ultra-Wideband Systems

Cadence System Analysis

Key Takeaways

Ultra-wideband (UWB) is a short-range communication technology that utilizes radio-frequency pulses. Its frequency band is from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz.
A UWB transceiver is fabricated on a small silicon area, making it a cost-effective solution for implementing positioning and tracking systems.
Generally, UWB bandpass filters are used to filter in UWB transceivers. The performance of these filters in a UWB system directly influences the performance of transmitters and receivers.

Ultra-wideband technology equipped devices support casting

Are you able to transfer files or cast your screen just by pointing your phone towards another phone? If so, then your phone is supported by ultra-wideband technology. Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology offers low power, high precision wireless connection with broader bandwidth. This technology can give distance and position coordinates, making it useful for tracking and positioning systems.

Since UWB technology uses radiofrequency pulses, RF components are used in ultra-wideband systems.

RF Components for Ultra-Wideband Systems

The UWB frequency band is from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. Since this falls within the radio frequency range, RF components are used in UWB circuits.

The RF components in UWB systems include:

Wireless transceiver chips
Filters
Antennas
Sensors
Monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs)

Let’s take a closer look at two of these components—transceiver chips and filters.

Ultra-Wideband Transceiver Chips

As we know, UWB frequencies offer reliable and effective positioning and they are widely used in real-time location and positioning systems. In such systems, single chips of high precision are used as UWB wireless transceivers.

The UWB transceiver is fabricated on a small silicon area, making it a cost-effective solution for implementing positioning and tracking systems. UWB transceiver chips are low power chips, and this helps to achieve long battery life. The power consumption of UWB chips is dependent on the mode of operation, namely the transmitting and receiving mode.

Usually, UWB transceiver chips support multiple frequency bands. They can be SPI interfaced to the host and integrated with a broad range of controllers in the host system. UWB chips are manufactured to withstand a temperature range of -40℃ to 85℃. UWB transceiver chips provide accurate location and communication in location-based technology services, wireless sensor applications, and Internet of Things-based operations.

Most UWB transceiver chips are compliant with IEEE 802.15.4-2011 standards. These chips allow the object to be located within a circumference range that is stationary with high precision. They are also capable of pinning the objects that are moving. They show excellent integration with wireless sensor networks (WSN) and permit high data rate communications. UWB transceiver chips are generally immune to multipath fading and can be reliably used in a highly fading environment without any loss of communication.

Ultra-Wideband Filters

To regulate communication signals in a UWB band, filters are essential in UWB systems. The broad bandwidth and high-speed transmission of UWB communication signals requires the incorporation of filters in UWB systems. UWB filters are used to remove noise and unwanted signals in UWB systems. In UWB transmitters and receivers, filters are an indispensable component.

Generally, UWB bandpass filters are used for filtering in UWB transceivers. The performance of filters in a UWB system directly influences the performance of transmitters and receivers. For this reason, the proper design of UWB bandpass filters is crucial. There are various techniques used to create a UWB bandpass filter, including those listed in the table below:

Technique	Advantage	Disadvantage
Cascading a low-pass and high-pass filter	Considerable wideband	Large size
Based on multimode resonators (MMR)	Compact size	Harmonic effects
Stub-loaded UWB bandpass filters	Simple structure and easy design procedure	Harmonic effects
Based on parallel-coupled lines	Low insertion loss	Large size

The various techniques for designing a UWB bandpass filter

Without UWB bandpass filters, the signal integrity and reliability of a UWB transceiver system will suffer. If precision, reliability, and performance are what you are aiming for, then using RF components—like a UWB filter—in ultra-wideband systems is essential.

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