SPREAD-SPECTRUM TECHNOLOGY FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS

Only recently has our technology advanced to the point that commercial application of spread-spectrum signaling is economically feasible. This has motivated a number of companies and individuals to seek new ways to benefit from spread-spectrum techniques in commercial systems and products. In this paper, we give a very brief overview of spread-spectrum signaling. We then consider applications to satellite mobile applications as well as indoor wireless applications. An overview is presented of several proposals to provide worldwide personal communications through satellite-based spread-spectrum systems, the tradeoffs to be considered, and the controversies involved. A description of a high-capacity wireless office telephone system serves to illustrate how spread-spectrum signaling may be useful in this environment. Finally, we describe a number of digital processing algorithms and devices that implement spread-spectrum signaling in a cost-effective manner.