N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 9 - Wireless Systems and Technologies                                                                                 Slide 73 of 80                                                                                                    ________________

What is HomeRF ?

                                    HomeRF Working Group 

                                    Designed to Meet Unique Needs of Home Networking

                                    Networking Speed

                                    Technologies

                                                                                                   ________________

The HomeRF Working Group (HRFWG), which includes the leading companies from the personal computer, consumer electronics, peripherals, communications, software, and semiconductor industries, developed an open industry specification, Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP), for wireless digital communication between PCs and consumer electronic devices anywhere in and around the home.

The SWAP specification defines a common wireless interface supporting voice and data at 1 M bps and 2 M bps data rates using frequency hopping spread spectrum modulation in 2.4 G Hz frequency band. Now HRFWG has HomeRF 2.0, a 10 M bps version of SWAP for wider bandwidth for frequency hopping.

Some examples of what users will be able to do with the HomeRF-compliant products:
        - Set-up a wireless home network to share voice and data between PCs, peripherals, PC-enhanced
          cordless phones, and devices such as portable, remote display pads
        - Access the Internet from anywhere in and around the home from portable display devices
        - Share an ISP connection between PCs and other devices
        - Share files/modems/printers in multi-PC homes
        - Forward incoming telephone calls to multiple cordless handsets, Fax machines and voice mail boxes
        - Review incoming voice, Fax and e-mail messages from small PC-enhanced cordless telephone handsets
        - Activate other home electronic systems by simply speaking a command into a PC-enhanced cordless
          handset
        - Multi-layer games and/or toys based on PC or Internet resources
        - Down load MP3 and other audio files using audio streaming
        - Enjoy streaming audio and video from networked devices anywhere in the home