Performance evaluation of ultra-wide band compared to wireless infrared communications

Wireless communications based on ultra-wide band and on infrared signals exhibit a number of similarities. From an application point of view, both techniques are attractive for short range indoor transmissions; from a technical one, IR and UWB show more analogies than one may expect. In this contribution we compare basic physical properties of both media. Non-directed IR transmission is, always based on intensity modulation and direct detection. Although non-coherent detectors could also be applied in the RF case, they differ completely in the underlying physical mechanisms. We compare the required receiver powers including fading margins, which enable us to evaluate the link budgets.