Introduction to spread spectrum communication

Why spread spectrum ?

Spread data over wide bandwidth

- Makes jamming and interception harder as pseudo-random codes are assigned. The bandwidth is spread by means of a code which is independent of the data. -The receiver synchronizes to the code to recover the data.

Background
The most celebrated invention of frequency hopping

was that of actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil in 1942. Lamarr had learned at defense meetings she had attended with her former husband Friedrich Mandl that radio-guided missiles signals could easily be jammed. The concept of frequency hopping was introduced by Nikola Tesla in July 1900. Tesla came up with the idea after demonstrating the world's first radio-controlled submersible boat in 1898, when it became apparent the wireless signals controlling the boat needed to be secure from "being disturbed, intercepted, or interfered with in any way." - Multi frequency controlled transmitter

Three ways to spread the spectrum.

Frequency Hopping Spread

Spectrum(FHSS) Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum(DSSS) Time Hopping Spread Spectrum(THSS)

To apply an SS technique, simply inject the corresponding SS code some where in the transmitting chain before the antenna. (That injection is called the spreading operation.) The effect is to diffuse the information in a larger bandwidth. Conversely, you can remove the SS code (despreading operation) at a point in the receive chain before data retrieval. The effect of a despreading operation is to reconstitute the information in its original bandwidth. Obviously, the same code must be known in advance at both ends of the transmission channel. (In some circumstances, it should be known only by those two parties.)

Different Spreading Techniques for Spread Spectrum

If the PRN is inserted at the data level, we have the direct sequence form of spread spectrum (DSSS). (In practice, the pseudo-random sequence is mixed or multiplied with the information signal, giving an impression that the original data flow was "hashed" by the PRN.) If the PRN acts at the carrier-frequency level, we have the frequency hopping form of spread spectrum (FHSS). Applied at the LO stage, FHSS PRN codes force the carrier to change or hop according to the pseudo-random sequence. If the PRN acts as an on/off gate to the transmitted signal, we have a time hopping spread spectrum technique (THSS).

Quote of the week

The same sun that melts butter hardens clay (Donald Meyer)