UWB vs GPS | Difference between UWB and GPS
This page compares UWB vs GPS and mentions difference between UWB and GPS with respect to various comparison parameters.
What is UWB ?
UWB (Ultra Wide Band) technology uses spectrum larger than 500 MHz. In the year 2002, FCC has approved use of unlicensed spectrum within 3.1 to 10.6 GHz for UWB applications. It uses short duration EM (Electro-Magnetic) pulses for high speed data transfer over wide bandwidth (BW). UWB follows IEEE standard 802.15.4a/z. Due to its wide bandwidth it can be used for high data rate (~27 Mbps) communication. It is also popular due to its lower latency, low power consumption and high immunity to various interferences.
The figure depicts UWB network consisting of UWB anchors installed at various places. These anchors communicate with UWB tags and UWB smartphones, UWB lights and WiFi AP. The WiFi AP or router is interfaced with cloud via gateway. UWB technology is used for target sensor data collection from motion sensor, temperature sensor, light sensor etc. It can be used for precise location and tracking applications.
What is GPS ?
GPS was initially used by US defense forces. Later it has become popular in many commercial applications. The initial spacecraft was launched in the year 1978 designed for GPS application. Full constellation of 24 satellites were operational in the year 1993. GPS technology uses GPS satellite constellation installed around earth which communicate with GPS receiver units on the earth. It is used for various applications such as determining position, navigation, tracking people and things, road surveying system, mapping the world, calculating precise timing of world, boating, hiking, GPS based drones, GPS based smart watches etc.
There are three major components of GPS viz. space segment, control segment and user segment. In future GPS will find applications in smart homes, crime, robotics, intelligent traffic systems, disaster control, integration with other wireless technologies etc. The figure depicts GPS tracking system >>.
Difference between UWB and GPS
Following table mentions difference between UWB and GPS with respect to various parameters.
| Features | UWB | GPS |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | IEEE 802.15.4 (802.15.4a/802.15.4z) | U.S. GPS Standard Positioning Service (SPS) |
| Frequency | sub GHz (500 MHz), lower band (3.5 to 4.5 GHz) and higher band (6.5 GHz to 10 GHz) | L1 band (1575.42 MHz), L2 band (1227.6 MHz), L3 band (1381.05 MHz) , L5 band (1176.45 MHz) Carrier frequencies |
| Range/Coverage | 70 meters (Typical), 250 meters (Max.) | Not Applicable |
| Data rate | Upto 27 Mbps | Not Applicable |
| Accuracy | in centimeters | 5-20 meters |
| Security (Physical layer) | Very secure (Distance Time Bounded Protocol) | Not Applicable |
| Reliability | Strong immunity to multi-path and interference | Very sensitive to obstructions |
| Location service latency | Less than 1 ms (Typically) to get XYZ | 100 ms (Typically) to get XYZ |
| Scalability or density | > 10's of thousands of tags | Unlimited |
| Infrastructure, tag and maintenance cost | Less | More |
Summary: UWB is ideal for accurate position tracking, low latency multimedia and high data rate applications. GPS is used for location tracking with the help of satellites.