December 4, 2001
The IEEE 1394 multimedia standard continued its expansion into wireless applications last month, as the IEEE 802.11e Wireless LAN Task Group adopted Quality of Service (QoS) enhancement proposals made by the 1394 Trade Association's Wireless Working Group (WWG). Acceptance of the proposals enables the 1394 TA's Wireless Working Group to develop a 1394 protocol adaptation layer for devices using the 802.11e QoS provisions.
The Trade Association's QoS proposals include building blocks for medium access control (MAC) services that encompass scheduled access to the radio channel. Audio and video experts have identified these foundations as prerequisites for providing QoS that is suitable for A/V streams. The MAC enhancements can be used with current data rates supported by the IEEE 802.11b physical layer. But they are particularly well-suited to the higher, 54 Megabits per second data rates specified by the IEEE 802.11a PHY amendment, which enables devices to communicate with each other using the 5 GHz frequency. The higher date rates coupled with QoS enhancements provide robust AV streaming capability over wireless media.
The 1394 TA's Wireless Working Group will now work with the basic building blocks to specify a wireless 1394 PAL for devices that adopt 802.11e QoS provisions, according to 1394 Trade Association Executive Director James Snider. He said that the experience gained with wired 1394 devices can be applied, and the firmware adapted, for use in wired or wireless environments.
"As wireless networking acceptance has exploded in the market, so has interest in enabling wireless 1394 transmission," he said. "Participation in this working group has been significant and very productive since its creation early this year, and we are confident that the two technologies can create an optimized solution to wireless AV streaming. Now, we have a solid framework from which to proceed."
Collaboration between the two groups enhances prospects for seamless home networking for all users, regardless of how electronics equipment is connected, according to Peter Johansson, who is the IEEE P1394.1 chairman and author of the proposal. "We are concurring on the basic structure and architecture for QoS such as scheduling and channel access," said Johansson, who is also the 1394 Trade Association's Wireless Work Group editor. "The 1394 WWG proposal should establish a technical backdrop against which further dialogue will proceed. Our Wireless Working Group can now develop the 1394 PAL for 802.11 specification, and both the WWG and the 802.11e working groups will continue to work with each other to ensure that any remaining pitfalls for wireless AV are resolved as they are uncovered."
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