Short-Range Wireless Connectivity: A Complementary Comparison (cont.)

by Puneet Gupta

IrDA

IrDA is an international organization that creates and promotes inter-operable, low-cost infrared data interconnection standards. IrDA has a set of protocols covering all layers of data transfer and, in addition, has some network management and interoperability designs. IrDA protocols have IrDA DATA as the vehicle for data delivery and IrDA CONTROL for sending the control information. In general, IrDA is used to provide wireless connectivity technologies for devices that would normally use cables for connectivity. IrDA is a point-to-point, narrow angle (30° cone), ad-hoc data transmission standard designed to operate over a distance of 0 to 1 meter and at speeds of 9600 bps to 16 Mbps. Adapters now include the traditional upgrades to serial and parallel ports.

Features:

• Range: From contact to at least 1 meter. Can be extended to 2 meters. A low power version relaxes the range objective for operation from contact through at least 20 cm between low power devices and 30 cm between low power and standard power devices. This implementation affords 10 times less power consumption.
• Bi-directional communication is the basis of all specifications
• Data transmission from 9600 b/s with primary speed/cost steps of 115 kb/s and maximum speed up to 4 Mb/s
• Data packets are protected using a CRC (CRC-16 for speeds up to 1.152Mb/s and CRC-32 at 4 Mb/s).

Next: Bluetooth vs. IrDA