Group 1: IrDA Specifications
– IrDA protocol stack components: IrPHY, IrLAP, IrLMP, Tiny TP, IrCOMM, OBEX, IrLAN, IrSimple, IrSimpleShot, Infrared Financial Messaging, and Power meters.
– IrPHY defines physical layer specifications with various data rates and modulation/coding schemes.
– IrLAP establishes reliable bidirectional connections and controls primary/secondary device roles.
– IrLMP provides multiple logical channels and services for device access.
– Tiny TP enables large message transportation and flow control through logical channels.
Group 2: IrDA Technology Reception
– IrDA’s popularity on PDAs, laptops, and desktops from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.
– Displacement by technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi due to line-of-sight limitations.
– Attempted revival in 2005 with IrSimple protocols for fast picture transfers.
– Utilization in environments facing interference with radio-based wireless technologies.
– Cost-effective hardware with security advantages over other wireless technologies.
Group 3: IrDA Protocol Layers
– IrPHY: Physical layer with optical link definitions, modulation, coding, CRC, and framer.
– IrLAP: Access control, partner discovery, connection establishment, and QoS negotiation.
– IrLMP: LM-MUX for multiple logical channels, LM-IAS for service provider registration, and service access.
Group 4: Optional IrDA Protocols
– Tiny TP: Large message transportation and flow control.
– IrCOMM: Infrared devices acting as serial or parallel ports.
– OBEX: Data object exchange between infrared devices.
– IrLAN: Connectivity to local area networks through various methods.
– IrSimpleShot: Wireless transfer of pictures from IrDA-enabled camera phones.
Group 5: IrDA Association and Applications
– IrDA founded in 1993 to develop and promote infrared communication standards.
– Use in various devices for wireless data transfer.
– Common applications in consumer electronics, printing wirelessly, and remote control devices.
– Challenges include range limitations, interference susceptibility, and competition with newer wireless standards.
– Integration into devices for secure data transfer over short distances.
The Infrared Data Association (IrDA) is an industry-driven interest group that was founded in 1994 by around 50 companies. IrDA provides specifications for a complete set of protocols for wireless infrared communications, and the name "IrDA" also refers to that set of protocols. The main reason for using the IrDA protocols had been wireless data transfer over the "last one meter" using point-and-shoot principles. Thus, it has been implemented in portable devices such as mobile telephones, laptops, cameras, printers, and medical devices. The main characteristics of this kind of wireless optical communication are physically secure data transfer, line-of-sight (LOS) and very low bit error rate (BER) that makes it very efficient.
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 Infrared via USB | |
| Abbreviation | IrDA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1994 |
| Type | Non-profit organisation consisting of multiple special interest groups |
