| |
The term wireless
is normally used to refer to any type of electrical or electronic
operation which is accomplished without the use of a "hard
wired" connection. Some of these operations may also be accomplished
with the use of wires if desired, while others, such as long range
communications, are impossible or impractical to implement with
the use of wires. The term is commonly used in the telecommunications
industry to refer to telecommunications systems (e.g., radio transmitters
and receivers, remote controls, computer networks, network terminals,
etc.) which use some form of energy (radio frequency, infrared light,
laser light, visible light, acoustic energy, etc.) to transfer information
without the use of wires. Information is transferred in this manner
over both short and long distances.
The term "wireless"
should not be confused with the term "cordless", which
is generally used to refer to powered devices that are able to operate
from a portable power source without any cable or cord to limit
the mobility of the cordless device through a connection to the
mains power supply. It is interesting to note that some cordless
devices, such as cordless telephones, are also wireless in the sense
that information is transferred from the cordless telephone to the
telephone's base unit via some type of wireless communications link.
This has caused some disparity in the usage of the term "cordless",
for example in Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications.
|
|