How Ultrasonic Data Transmission Compares to RF Protocols

Short-range connectivity between and among electronic devices is essential to building a truly connected world. With 28 – 30.8 billion connected devices projected by 2020 (depending on who you ask), the need for devices to identify and communicate with each other is growing. Only a solution that’s secure, offline, and inexpensive will effectively overcome the obstacles that have hampered seamless connectivity. Unfortunately, advances made in long-range connectivity (e.g. cloud computing) over the past 20 years can’t solve these hyper-local issues.

The most common approach to wireless communications has been radio frequency (RF). This range of radio waves (3 kHz – 300 GHz) is used for communications transmission. RF stands for the rate of oscillation of electromagnetic waves, but it has become synonymous with one of its first uses, radio communication, and more recently, wireless communication.

The most familiar forms of mobile connectivity—cellular, wifi, NFC, RFID, Bluetooth, beacons—rely on a system of power-hungry radio transmitters and receivers that aren’t always able to establish or maintain a consistent connection. RF was a breakthrough technology when German physicist Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of radio waves in the late 1880s, but it’s ineffective for close-proximity connections.

Ultrasonic data transmission uses a simple combination of sound, software, and existing device hardware to create a seamless, reliable, secure, cost-effective, and energy-efficient approach to connectivity and always-on communication.

Why Ultrasonic Data Transmission?

Software vs. hardware: Data over sound is a software solution that can be implemented and executed across all operating systems and devices, creating cross-device flexibility. It exists as standard hardware (mics and speakers that are included in all phones, computers, etc.) and a simple software package, whether integrated directly into a mobile application, website, or embedded system.

Better customer experience: Audio technology enables a seamless and consistent customer experience, across a number of different operating systems and consumer device manufacturers.

System-wide cost advantages: The best ultrasonic data transmission solution can be played and received using standard speakers and microphones across the entire ecosystem of sound. This results in more cost-efficient deployment and management because devices can transmit data across devices, bypassing performance and cost disadvantages of RF.

Range: Ultrasonic data transmission follows the characteristics of sound; it bypasses the physical limitations of short range RF. This extends the distance data can travel to reach any device in short range with wireless transmission. LISNR’s tone profiles were specifically designed to transfer data at a variety of distances. Precision Kilo Audio Bit (PKAB, 18 – 19.2kHz) is our tone most used in short range use cases, as its able to send large quantities of encrypted data between devices within close range.

Security: Data over audio transmits data in a way that’s similar to other protocols and can employ industry standard security/encryption methods. All data associated with a transmission can be encrypted. The best solutions also have the ability to support advanced encryption to create an even more secure data exchange.

All of these elements combine to make ultrasonic data transmission the best technology to make secure, local, universal data sharing and interoperability a reality. Consistent, efficient device-to-device connectivity creates new opportunities to improve and expand services and products in ways that weren’t possible before.

To learn more about LISNR and its Ultrasonic Data Transmission Platform, please contact us today.