November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Project: IEEE P802.15 Working Group for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs)
Submission Title: Introduction to Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) Technology
Date Submitted: November 11, 2003
Source: John Lampe, Zbigniew Ianelli Company: Nanotron Technologies
Address: Alt-Moabit 61, 10555 Berlin, Germany
Voice: +49 30 399 954 135, FAX: +49 30 399 954 188, E-Mail: j.lampe@nanotron.com
Re: Discussion of interesting RF technology
Abstract: Tutorial Presentation on CSS for IEEE 802 part 1
Purpose: November Plenary Tutorial #4.
Notice: This document has been prepared to assist the IEEE P802.15. It is offered as a basis for
discussion and is not binding on the contributing individual(s) or organization(s). The material in this
document is subject to change in form and content after further study. The contributor(s) reserve(s) the right
to add, amend or withdraw material contained herein.
Release: The contributor acknowledges and accepts that this contribution becomes the property of IEEE
and may be made publicly available by P802.15.

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Slide 1

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Introduction to
Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS)
Technology

presented by

Zbigniew Ianelli

Nanotron Technologies GmbH

Berlin, Germany
www.nanotron.com
Submissio
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Slide 2

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Contents

A brief history of Chirp pulses

Characteristics of Chirp pulses
The basic Chirp signal
Properties of signal forms
Scalable technology
How to code using CSS
Key Properties of CSS

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Slide 3

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

A brief history of Chirp pulses

Used by whales and dolphins
Patent for radar applications in 1944 by Prof.
Hoffmann
Further developed by Sidney Darlington (Lifetime
IEEE Fellow) in 1947 (Pulse Compression Radar)
Patented by Canon for data transmission in fiber
optic systems
Chirp Spread Spectrum for commercial wireless data
transmission is investigated since 1997

Submissio
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Slide 4

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Characteristics of Chirp pulses

A chirp pulse is a frequency modulated pulse.
Its duration is T; within this time the frequency is changing in a
monotonic manner from a lower value to a higher one (Up-Chirp) or
reverse (Down-Chirp).
The difference between these two frequencies is a good
approximation for the bandwidth B of the chirp pulse.

S(f)

B
Spectrum of the chirp pulse with
bandwidth B and a roll-off factor of 0.25

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Up-Chirp in the time domain

(roll-off factor 0.25)

Slide 5

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

The basic Chirp signal

Chirp pulse:
U0
t 2
U (t )
cos( 0t
)
2
BT

Sinc pulse (baseband):

U (t ) U 0

sin(Bt )
Bt

Sinc pulse (RF band):

U (t ) U 0

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Slide 6

sin(Bt )
cos( 0t )
Bt

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Properties of signal forms in the air and

baseband interfaces
Chirp pulses for the RF channel:
High robustness (BT>>1)
Wideband signal
Constant envelope of the RF waveform
Constant, uniform PSD (Power Spectral Density)
well controlled spectrum in very simple way
Sinc pulses in the baseband:
High speed (B=1)
Easy signal processing (threshold detector)

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Slide 7

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Scalable Technology
Frequency spreading:
Basic information theory tells us that CSS benefits when
the bandwidth B of the Chirp pulse is much higher than the
data rate R: B >> R

Time spreading:
The data rate can scale independently of the BT product.
The duration T of the Chirp pulse can be chosen freely. A signal with a
very high BT product can be achieved, which transforms into a very
robust signal in the channel.
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Slide 8

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Scalable Technology (continued)

Excellent range data rate scalability:
Preferred for system where range and/or data rate requirement
varies rapidly.
Especially promising for wideband or ultra wideband system
where available frequency bandwidth B is much higher than
the data rate R

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Slide 9

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

How to code using CSS

Modulation techniques:

f
fHI

On-Off-Keying (OOK), for example:

1 0 1 0 0 1

fLO

Up-Chirp = 1; Null = 0
allows 2 independent coexisting networks
Superposed Chirps (4 possible states):
Chirp pulse

Null/Up-Chirp/Down-Chirp/
Superposition of Up- and Down-Chirp
allows one network with double the data rate
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Slide 10

OOK with Null and Up-Chirp

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Key Properties of CSS

High robustness:
Due to the high BT product, chirp pulses are very resistant against
disturbances.

Multipath resistant:
Due to the broadband chirp pulse, CSS is very immune against
multipath fading; CSS can even take advantage of RF echoes.

Low power consumption:

CSS allows the designer to choose an analog implementation,
which often consumes much less power.

Low latency:
CSS needs no synchronization; a wireless connection can be
established very quickly.
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Slide 11

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Mobility Properties of CSS

Resistance against Doppler effect:
The Doppler effect causes a frequency shift of the chirp pulse, which
introduces a negligible shift of the baseband signal on the time axis.
Example:
Bandwidth of the chirp
Duration of the chirp
Center frequency of the chirp (ISM band)
Relative speed between transmitter and receiver
Frequency shift due to Doppler effect
Equivalent shift of the message on the time axis

80 MHz
1 s
2.442 GHz
2000 km/h
4.52 kHz
56.5 ps

Note:
2000 km/h is equivalent to 1243 miles/hour
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Slide 12

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Coexistence Properties of CSS

Immune to in-band interferer:
Scalable processing gain (determined by BT product of the chirp)
enables selection of appropriate immunity level against in-band
interferences.
Example:
Bandwidth B of the chirp
Duration time T of the chirp
Center frequency of the chirp (ISM band)
Processing gain, BT product of the chirp
Eb/N0 at detector input (BER=0.001)
In-band carrier to interferer ratio (C/I @ BER=0.001)

Submissio
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Slide 13

64 MHz
1 s
2.442 GHz
18 dB
14 dB
-4 dB

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Some Applications and Measurements of

Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS)
Technology

presented by

John Lampe

Nanotron Technologies GmbH

Berlin, Germany

www.nanotron.com
Submissio
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Slide 14

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

New Applications / Global Markets

Applications requiring mobility faster than 11 mph, such as:

Tire pressure
Assets in vehicles (in-car communications)
Drive-by
Drop boxes
Drive-by AMR

Toll booths

Applications requiring robustness or fewer retransmissions in multipath

environments, such as:

Industrial mission-critical
Airplanes
Ships / engine rooms
Gaming
New WINA alliance one example of this need

Applications requiring ranging accuracy better than 0.5 meters, such as:

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Asset tracking (active RFID)

Personnel tracking
Motion detection
Automatic network installation
Slide 15

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Enhanced Applications / Markets

Applications desiring extended range, such as:
Meter Reading
Building Automation
And other longer-range applications where repeaters
are not practical

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Slide 16

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

Includes:

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Evaluation Board

RF IC
SAW filter
Optimized balun for
asymmetrical antenna
operation
Crystals
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Slide 17

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Comparing CSS to DECT Outdoors

C SS vs. D EC T

1 ,0 0 E + 0 0
CSS

D ECT

1 ,0 0 E -0 1

1 ,0 0 E -0 2

BER

1 ,0 0 E -0 3

1 ,0 0 E -0 4

1 ,0 0 E -0 5

1 ,0 0 E -0 6
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

D is ta n c e [m ]

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Slide 19

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Indoor testing with CSS

d=23
m, P
out = -1
10 -3
5 dBm
= 32
W, G=
1,5 dB
, BER
=

2
=3
Bm -3
d
15 = 10
=
R
t
E
ou
P
B
B,
m,
d
5
5
1
d= G=1,
,
W

Result:
d = 23 m with Pout = -15 dBm
Calculated: d = 50 m with Pout = +10 dBm,
=3
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Slide 20

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Indoor testing with CSS

d=5 m, Pout = -30 dBm= 1 W, G = 1,5 dB, BER =
10-4
d=
2
10 -3 6 m,
P

ou
t

=8
dB
m

=6
,3
mW
,G
=1
,5
dB
,B
ER
=

Load-bearing Walls

CSS transmits 1Mbps with Pout = 1 W over 5m and with 6,3mW ove
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Slide 21

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Outdoor Link-Budget
Link budget without cable losses or antenna-gain, best case:

LBbest = 103 dB

Outdoor-Propagation, a = 2,1
120

attenuation [dB] for outdoor

Outdoor free space

propagation: distance ~ linkbudget with = 2.1 2.3
But:
Outdoor propagation is not
always free space
propagation, due to e.g. hills,
trees, houses,
Therefore:
Measurements have to be
done!
Submissio
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110

100

90
d1( r )
103

d = 940 m

80

70

60

50

40

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Slide 22

m
distance between transmitter and receiver

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

3000

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Testing CSS on Hahneberg, Berlin-Spandau

P2

P3

340410 m
P1
462610 m

73910 m
P4
94010 m Ref

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Slide 23

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Outdoor testing with CSS

P2

340410 m

P3

P1
462610 m
Pout = 24 dBm = 250 mW

73910 m
Pout = 7 dBm = 5 mW

P4
Ref
94010 m
Pout = 9 dBm = 7.9 mW

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Slide 24

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Outdoor testing with CSS

Measurement Challenge: Teufelsberg
6483 m distance
7.7 dBm output power
18 dB antenna gain
No FEC
BER 10E-3
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Slide 25

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

CSS Outdoor Test Summary

Outdoor-Propagation; a = 2.1

130

120

110

attenuation [dB] for outdoor

d1( r )

Gant = 1 dB

Output Power
@ antenna
7 dBm =

90
103

Pout = 7 dBm,
d = 740 m

120

Pout = 9 dBm,
d = 940 m

80
124

Range @
BER=10-3
740 m

9 dBm = 7.9 mW

940 m

26 dBm = 400 mW

6400 m

30 dBm = 1

9800 m

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100

101

5 mW

Pout = 30 dBm,
d = 9.8 km
Pout = 26 dBm,
d = 6.4 km

70

60

50

40
0.01

0.1

1
r

Slide 26

km
distance between transmitter and receive

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

10

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Need for Standardization

Ole Ploug
R&D Manager
Central Controls R&D
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
www.danfoss.com
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Slide 27

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Summary
Introduced CSS technology
Explained behavior and benefits
Suggested some additional applications
that can be satisfied
Shown test results that demonstrate
some of CSS capabilities
Shown one customers application
requirements
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Slide 28

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron

November 2003

doc.: IEEE 802.15-03-0460-00-0000

Conclusions
CSS has qualities of both spread
spectrum and UWB.
CSS enhances robustness and range
CSS adds mobility
CSS can be implemented with todays
technologies
CSS is a global solution
Submissio
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Slide 29

Lampe, Ianelli, Nanotron