Power-conscious design of wireless circuits and systems

The great importance of power consciousness is well understood in mobile wi reless communications. However, with growing experience the fundamental pri nciples underlying power conscious design of RF circuits, systems, and netw orks are only now becoming known. Using as example ultralow-power wireless devices for messaging such as paging receivers and wireless sensor networks , in the first part of this paper presents the relationship between current consumption and dynamic range of low-noise amplifiers, mixers, oscillators , and active filters. The second part of the paper covers issues of modulat ion, protocols, and networking that would be required in dense networks of wireless sensor, which communicate using very little energy. These ideas ar e expected to find use in most forms of digital wireless communications.