Ultra Wideband (UWB) which operates in the 3.1GHz to 10.6GHz spectrum at up to 480Mbps has achieved standards status by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Ecma International who signed off on ECMA-368, ECMA-369, and ISO/IEC 26907, forming the basis for Wireless USB.

WiMedia’s ultra wideband technology could some day eliminate a rat’s nest of computer cables and provide fast, cheap wireless access to cameras and printers. Wireless USB will offer the features and benefits of USB 2.0, but without the wires.

WiMedia’s solution was one of two competing specs for UWB, and the IEEE working group covering the standard could never get past the point of deadlock, which prevented either of the two technologies from getting the requisite 75 percent approval. Last year the Bluetooth Special Interest Group cast its lot with WiMedia’s flavor of UWB, giving it a boost.

Alereon is partnering with leading digital camera vendors to demonstrate Wireless USB (WUSB) applications for the digital photography market.

Meanwhile, Artimi, a semiconductor company developing Wireless USB and next-generation Bluetooth technology, announced an addition of $5 million investment from Khosla Ventures today.

Two UWB schemes appeared: DS (direct sequence) and OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing). Supporters of each approach—the UWB Forum for DS-UWB and the WiMedia Alliance for OFDM-UWB—worked to get the IEEE to adopt their technologies as IEEE standards, but the standards process stalled.

Cable-Free USB is a combination of Freescale Semiconductor’s Direct Sequence Ultra-Wideband (DS-UWB) chipset and Icron Technologies’ ExtremeUSB, but is incompatabile, with wireless USB.

Products are going through Wireless USB certification right now, according to WiMedia supporter Alereon. The first products are expected to be dongle and wireless USB hub kits, as well as related products, such as Cardbus cards and ExpressCards.

Wireless USB cameras, laptops and peripherals could be right around the corner.

Posted by Sam Churchill on Wednesday, March 21st, 2007 at 11:16 am.