UWB coexistence and cognitive radio

The recent history of ultrawideband communications technology has seen great debate over whether these UWB systems cause unacceptable interference to existing users of the same and nearby bands. Building on the IEEE 802.15.2 Recommended Practice and the framework developed by IEEE 802.19, researchers are developing techniques to separate UWB signals for others using time, frequency, power, space, and coding, the five techniques available to minimize interference and maximize capacity. The paper explores general methods for using these parameters, either to eliminate interference, or to achieve graceful, deterministic degradation. It concludes with the next steps for bringing these techniques into the standards process. UWB is an exciting new communications technology that approaches spectrum management in a different way than prior wireless systems. Through the use of collaborative coexistence and, eventually, cognitive radio techniques, these systems, as well as those in close proximity to them, can give users a better, more reliable radio connection.