PAN (personal area network)
A wireless PAN consists of a dynamic group of less than 255 devices that communicate within about a 33-foot range. Unlike with wireless LANs, only devices within this limited area typically participate in the network, and no online connection with external devices is defined.
One device is selected to assume the role of the controller during wireless PAN initialization, and this controller device mediates communication within the WPAN. The controller broadcasts a beacon that lets all devices synchronize with each other and allocates time slots for the devices.
Each device attempts to join the wireless PAN by requesting a time slot from the controller. The controller authenticates the devices and assigns time slots for each device to transmit data. The data may be sent to the entire wireless PAN using the wireless PAN destination address, or it may be directed to a particular device.
The 802.15 working group is defining different versions for devices that have different requirements. 802.15.3 focuses on high-bandwidth (about 55M bit/sec), low-power MAC and physical layers, while 802.15.4 deals with low-bandwidth (about 250K bit/sec), extra-low power MAC and physical layers.
From 802.15 aims to secure wireless PANs, Network World Tech Update, 03/11/02.
Also see 802.15, DS-UWB.
Additional resources
Wireless/mobile research center
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Comments:
PAN
by Brian Saunders
I thought that this article didn't give a good description of a PAN. The reason I thought this was because it didn't give a definition, it said how it worked, and it explained time-slots, but no definition, so I would add a brief definition to add to this article. Keep up the good work!
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