Spread spectrum is a method of transmitting a signal by intentionally varying the frequency. It provides wider bandwidth, avoids interference, and increases security. Two common techniques are frequency hopping and direct-sequence spread spectrum. It is used in various communication fields, including wireless technologies.
The term spread spectrum refers to a method of transmitting a signal in which the signal is spread by intentionally varying the frequency at which it is sent. There are several benefits to this, including a wider bandwidth and avoiding objects or other frequencies that might interfere with the original signal. Using a spread spectrum can also make the signal more secure and prevent it from being intercepted.
The uses of spread spectrum, often called spread spectrum technique, are primarily concerned with safety and interference. Typically, when a signal is generated, it needs to stay in the same frequency range, like a radio station. Tuning into a radio station means setting the radio to the same signal frequency; if you change the frequency, the station also changes. It’s fine for the signal to remain in the same range in a situation like a radio station, but in some cases the signal needs to be blocked from being intercepted or changed to avoid interference.
The spread spectrum technique achieves this by alternating the signal during its transmission period. Two common ways it alters the signal during transmission are frequency hopping and the direct sequence spread spectrum technique. Frequency hopping uses a digital signal that “jumps” between the original signal and a different frequency. Between jumps, referred to as dwell time, the frequency is the same. The switching sequence is a complicated formula that the signal transmitter and signal receiver calculate and use to transform the signal to and from its original state.
The direct-sequence spectrum technique, which is more reliable but less efficient than frequency hopping, works by splitting the data bits and spreading them over a frequency range. The original signal is split by another signal, known as a chip, which moves at a faster speed. This chip transmits the code responsible for splitting the signal and placing information in a different frequency range. The same chip codes are used by the receiving device to reconstruct the signal in its original form.
The use of spread spectrum has increased over the years due to deregulation and is used in a wide range of telecommunications and communication fields. It was first used in the military in the 1950s for secure communications and usage spread in the early 1980s for use in many satellite communications around the world. More recently, it has been used in wireless technologies, including cell phones and wireless networks.
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