Overview

The HomeRF Working Group (HRFWG) was formed to provide the foundation for a broad range of interoperable consumer devices by establishing an open industry specification for wireless digital communication between PCs and consumer electronic devices anywhere in and around the home. The HRFWG, which includes the leading companies from the personal computer, consumer electronics, peripherals, communications, software, and semiconductor industries, has developed a specification for wireless communications in the home called the Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP).

Technology

To date, the high cost and impracticality of adding new wires have inhibited the wide spread adoption of home networking technologies. Wired technologies also do not allow users to roam about with portable devices. In addition, multiple, incompatible communication standards have limited acceptance of wireless networks in the home. The HRFWG believes that the open SWAP specification will break through these barriers by (1) enabling interoperability between many different consumer electronic devices available from a large number of manufacturers, and (2) provide the flexibility and mobility of a wireless solution. This flexibility is important to the success of creating a compelling and complete home network solution.

Since the formation of the group was announced in March 1998, the total number of member companies now exceeds 90, and continues to expand quickly. The inclusion of nearly all the leading consumer electronics companies in the working group ensures that consumers will benefit from a wide variety of innovative, interoperable devices for use in and around the home.

Three sub-committees exist within the HomeRF Working Group. The HRFWG-Japan sub-committee was created to assist in defining the SWAP specification and ensure that it complies with local regulations. The group has also formed committees to plan future versions of SWAP that address wireless multimedia and a lower cost alternative.

Shared Wireless Access Protocol
The SWAP specification defines a new common interface that supports wireless voice and data networking in the home. Representation from the wide range of member companies, which span diverse industries, ensures that the final specification is complete and robust, and that devices envisioned as part of the home network are interoperable.
Some examples of what users will be able to do with the availability of products that adhere to the SWAP specification include:

• Set up a wireless home network to share voice and data between PC's, peripherals, PC-enhanced cordless phones, and new devices such as portable, remote display pads

• Access the Internet from anywhere in and around the home from portable display devices

• Share an ISP connection between PC's and other new devices

• Share files/modems/printers in multi-PC homes

• Intelligently forward incoming telephone calls to multiple cordless handsets, FAX machines and voice mailboxes

• Review incoming voice, FAX and e-mail messages from a small PC-enhanced cordless telephone handset

• Activate other home electronic systems by simply speaking a command into a PC-enhanced cordless handset

• Multi-player games and/or toys based on PC or Internet resources

HOMERF