Communications and Information Theory
There are a significant number of technologies and data paths to move data, and a bulk of the material in this book will investigate the aspects, constraints, and comparisons of communication choices for the architect. The previous chapter detailed sensor architecture and design, and now we must marshal the data to the Internet. This requires an understanding of communications and the limitations of moving data.
We begin the short-range and long-range communications discussion with a review of wireless RF signals and the contributing factors that impact signal quality, limitations, interference, models, bandwidth, and range. There are many PAN/WAN communication protocols to choose from in different bands, and the architect must understand the pros and cons of choosing one radio spectrum over the other.
By the end of this chapter, you should understand the limits of radio communication speed and bandwidth. Whether...