Effective construction management involves real-time decisions regarding the progress of specific activities, the location of materials and equipment, and the construction site safety. The decision making process can be improved using real-time positioning technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) systems, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Ultra Wide Band (UWB) sensors. While the GPS is not applicable to indoor positioning and RFID tags cannot provide a fully automated system for position location, the characteristics of UWB systems make this technology a strong candidate for a fully automated positioning system in an indoor construction environment. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the performance of UWB systems in a controlled laboratory environment and in an institutional construction site in Waterloo, Canada as well as for a particular safety application. A primary objective of the research was to establish the accuracy of real-time position location under various conditions, including the effect of different construction materials (e.g., wood and metal), and to analyze changes in the accuracy of position location as construction progresses and the indoor environment physically evolves. Different challenges faced in implementing such a system in an active construction environment are addressed. Based on a statistical analysis of laboratory data, and considering the construction site experience, the reliability of the UWB positioning system for the aforementioned environments is discussed. Furthermore, an automated safety system is proposed using the real-time UWB positioning technology. Based on the error modeling of the UWB position location, an optimum alarming algorithm is designed for the proposed safety system and the reliability of such system is evaluated through a statistical analysis.

Effective construction management involves real-time decisions regarding the progress of specific activities, the location of materials and equipment, and the construction site safety. The decision making process can be improved using real-time positioning technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) systems, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Ultra Wide Band (UWB) sensors. While the GPS is not applicable to indoor positioning and RFID tags cannot provide a fully automated system for position location, the characteristics of UWB systems make this technology a strong candidate for a fully automated positioning system in an indoor construction environment. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the performance of UWB systems in a controlled laboratory environment and in an institutional construction site in Waterloo, Canada as well as for a particular safety application. A primary objective of the research was to establish the accuracy of real-time position location under various conditions, including the effect of different construction materials (e.g., wood and metal), and to analyze changes in the accuracy of position location as construction progresses and the indoor environment physically evolves. Different challenges faced in implementing such a system in an active construction environment are addressed. Based on a statistical analysis of laboratory data, and considering the construction site experience, the reliability of the UWB positioning system for the aforementioned environments is discussed. Furthermore, an automated safety system is proposed using the real-time UWB positioning technology. Based on the error modeling of the UWB position location, an optimum alarming algorithm is designed for the proposed safety system and the reliability of such system is evaluated through a statistical analysis.

<p>Nisko-šumni pojačavač (NŠP) nalazi se u prijemnom delu bežičnog<br />primopredajnika neposredno nakon antene. NJegova uloga je da ulazni<br />signal određene frekvencije i male snage izdvoji i pojača iznad nivoa<br />šuma prijemnika. U okviru doktorske disertacije prikazane su i<br />opisane metode za projektovanje širokopojasnih (UWB) NŠP u CMOS<br />tehnologiji. Ukupno je predloženo devet novih konfiguracija NŠP. Na<br />osnovu dobijenih rezultata, u 0,18 &mu;m UMC CMOS tehnologiji<br />realizovan je i fabrikovan NŠP jednostavne topologije, koja<br />predstavlja zbir dva pristupa, pojačavačkog stepena kaskodne<br />strukture sa povratnom spregom i stepena sa višestrukim<br />iskorišćenjem struje. NŠP je projektovan za frekvencijski opseg od<br />3,1 do 5 GHz. Takođe, opisana je metoda za merenje parametara NŠP, a<br />zatim je i izvršena njegova karakterizacija.</p> / <p>In the transceiver chain the low noise amplifier (LNA) is placed in the frontend<br />of the receiver after the antenna. The LNA needs to isolate and amplify<br />received weak signal at a specific frequency above the noise level of the<br />receiver. In the scope of this doctoral dissertation methods for designing<br />ultra-wideband (UWB) LNA in CMOS technology are presented and<br />described. Nine new LNA configurations were proposed. Based on the<br />obtained results, simple LNA configuration, obtained by merging casode<br />feedback topology and current-reuse technique, was realized and fabricated<br />in 0.18 &mu;m UMC CMOS technology. The LNA is designed for the frequency<br />band from 3.1 to 5 GHz. In addition, the method for measurement LNA<br />parameters is described and the proposed LNA was characterized.</p>

Abstract The past two decades have witnessed an unprecedented proliferation of mobile devices equipped with extremely innovative wireless technologies. Short range networks, such as wireless personal area networks (WPANs), wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and wireless body area networks (WBANs) have been defined and researched to deliver high speed home connectivity, environment and health monitoring. This thesis tackles design, analysis and simulation of medium access control (MAC) protocols tailored for short range networks. These have in common the use of battery operated devices but also certain design challenges connected with MAC protocols are common upon selecting the physical layer technology. Ultra wideband (UWB) technology and 60 GHz technology (which is referred to also as millimeter wave communications) are two valid examples of the wireless revolution of the past decade. Several existing standards, such as IEEE 802.15.3, ECMA-368, IEEE 802.15.4 and its amendment IEEE 802.15.4a, are considered in this thesis for MAC analysis in conjunction with UWB technology. With regard to millimeter wave communications the characteristics of the IEEE 802.15.3c standard are taken into account. Apart for the IEEE 802.15.3c all the MAC protocols have been modeled in the network simulator Opnet. One contribution of this thesis is to produce an innovative and in-depth analysis of the management aspects (e.g. ECMA-368 distributed beaconing) stemming from the above mentioned standards by means of analytical and simulation models. This study approach allows selecting the MAC features suitable for the applications and the technologies of interest. The key performance metric used to analyze all the protocols is energy efficiency, but also throughput is investigated. Another contribution brought by this thesis consists in the innovative way of studying slotted-based MAC protocols as an integrated concept connected with the type of network, the type of application and the selected physical technologies. This thesis also shows MAC performance in conjunction with UWB when false alarm, miss-detection and receiver capture (capture is modeled by means of an existing interference model) are taken into consideration. Most of the unrealistic, though common, assumptions in MAC analysis are removed and the performance of selected medical applications is evaluated through Opnet simulations. The well known binary exponential backoff is analyzed with an innovative though simplified one-dimensional Markov chain approach in the context of directional MAC for 60 GHz communications. As shown in the remainder of this thesis, the simplification introduced does not hinder the accuracy of the results, but rather allows accounting even for a finite number of retransmissions with a simple chain extension. / Tiivistelmä Kahden viime vuosikymmenen aikana innovatiivisella langattomalla tekniikalla varustettujen viestintälaiteiden määrä on kasvanut räjähdysmäisesti. Lyhyen kantaman verkkoja kuten langattomia henkilökohtaisen alueen verkkoja (WPAN), langattomia anturiverkkoja (WSN) ja langattomia vartaloalueen verkkoja (WBAN) on määritelty ja tutkittu, jotta voitaisiin tuottaa korkeanopeuksisia kotiyhteyksiä sekä välineitä ympäristön ja terveydentilan seurantaan. Tämä väitöskirja käsittelee lyhyen kantaman viestintään suunniteltujen linkinohjauskerroksen MAC-protokollien suunnittelua, analysointia ja simulointia. Näissä kaikissa käytetään akkukäyttöisiä laitteita, mutta myös tietyt MAC-protokollien suunnittelun haasteet ovat tavallisia fyysisen kerroksen teknologiaa valittaessa. Ultra-laajakaistainen (UWB) teknologia ja 60 GHz teknologia (eli millimetriaallonpituusalueen tietoliikenne) ovat hyviä esimerkkejä kuluneen vuosikymmenen langattomasta vallankumouksesta. Tässä väitöskirjassa huomioidaan UWB teknologiaan liittyvää MAC-kerroksen analyysiä tehtäessä useat olemassa olevat standardit, kuten IEEE 802.15.3, ECMA-368, IEEE 802.15.4 ja sen lisäys IEEE 802.15.4a. Millimetriaallonpituusalueen tietoliikenteessä huomioidaan myös IEEE 802.15.3c standardin erityispiirteet. IEEE 802.15.3c:tä lukuun ottamatta kaikki MAC-protokollat on mallinnettu Opnet verkkosimulaattorilla. Tämä tutkimus tarjoaa innovatiivisen ja syväluotaavan tutkimuksen näiden standardien pohjalta ja analyyttisten ja simuloitujen mallien avulla kehitetyistä hallinnallisista lähestymistavoista (esim. ECMA-368 hajautettu majakkasignaali). Näiden avulla voidaan valita kohteena oleviin sovelluksiin ja teknologioihin parhaiten soveltuvia MAC-ominaisuuksia. Kaikkien protokollien analysointiin käytetty ensisijainen suorituskykymittari on energiatehokkuus, mutta myös datanopeuksia on tarkasteltu. Tässä tutkimuksessa esitellään myös innovatiivinen tapa tutkia MAC protokollia integroituina konsepteina suhteessa verkon ja sovellusten tyyppiin sekä fyysisen kerroksen teknologiaan. Lisäksi tämä väitöskirja esittelee MAC suorituskykyä UWB verkossa silloin, kun siinä otetaan huomioon väärät hälytykset, väärä havainnointi ja vastaanottimen signaalinkaappaus (vastaanoton mallintamiseksi käytetään olemassa olevaa interferenssimallia). MAC analyysistä poistetaan useimmat epärealistiset, vaikkakin tavalliset, olettamukset, ja verkkojen suorituskykyä tarkastellaan valittujen kriittisten parametrien monitoroinnissa Opnet-simulaatioiden avulla. Tunnettua binäärijakoinen eksponentiaalinen perääntyminen -algoritmia analysoidaan innovatiivisella, yksinkertaistetulla yksiulotteisella Markov-ketju -mallilla 60 GHz:n suunta-antenni MAC:n yhteydessä. Kuten tässä tutkimuksessa tullaan osoittamaan, esitelty yksinkertaistus ei rajoita tulosten tarkkuutta, vaan mukaan voidaan lukea jopa rajallinen määrä uudelleenlähetyksiä yksinkertaisen Markovin ketjun laajennuksen avulla.