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Simplified Reference Model of Communication

The document discusses the protocol stack implemented in a wireless communication system between a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a computer. It shows that end systems like the PDA and computer require a full protocol stack, while intermediate systems like the base station only require some of the layers. The key layers discussed are the physical, data link, network, transport, and application layers.

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Jimmy Mirabuna
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183 views3 pages

Simplified Reference Model of Communication

The document discusses the protocol stack implemented in a wireless communication system between a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a computer. It shows that end systems like the PDA and computer require a full protocol stack, while intermediate systems like the base station only require some of the layers. The key layers discussed are the physical, data link, network, transport, and application layers.

Uploaded by

Jimmy Mirabuna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The above figure shows a personal digital assistant (PDA) which provides an example for a

wireless and portable device.

This Personal digital assistant communicates with a base station in the middle of the picture.

The base station consists of a radio transceiver (receiver and sender) and an interworking unit
connecting the wireless link with the fixed link. The communication partner of the Personal
Digital Assistant, a conventional computer, is shown on the right hand side. Under earth each
network element (such as PDA, interworking unit, computer), the figure shows the protocol
stack implemented in the system according to the reference model.

End-systems, such as PDA and computer in the example, need a full protocol stack comprising
the application layer, transport layer, network layer, data link layer and physical layer.
Applications on the end-systems communicate with each other using the services of the lower
layer.

Intermediate systems such as interworking unit; do not necessarily need all of the layers.
Above figure shows the network, data link and physical layers. As (according to the reference
model) only entities at the same level communicate with each other (i.e. transport with transport,
network with network).
Layers Key Points

Applications Layers ● service location


● new applications, multimedia
● adaptive applications

Transport Layers ● congestion and flow control


● quality of service

Network Layers ● addressing, routing, device location


● hand-over

Data Link Layers ● authentication


● media access
● multiplexing
● media access control

Physical Layers ● encryption


● modulation
● interference
● attenuation
● frequency

Physical layer
This is the lowest layer in a communication system and is responsible for the conversion of a
stream of bits into signals that are transmitted on the sender side.

The physical layer of the receiver transforms the signals back into a bit stream. For wireless
communication, the physical layer is responsible for generation of the carrier frequency,
frequency selection, signal detection (although heavy interference may disturb the signal),
modulation of data into a carrier frequency and encryption.

Data link layer


The main tasks of the data link layer include accessing the medium, multiplexing of different
data streams, correction of transmission errors and synchronization (i.e. detection of a data
frame). In short, the data link layer is responsible for a reliable point to point connection between
two devices or a point to multipoint connection between one sender and several receivers.

Network layer
The third layer which is called network layer is responsible for routing packets through the
network or establishing a connection between two entities over many other intermediate
systems. Some topics are addressing, routing, device location, and handover between different
networks. The several solutions for the network layer protocol of the internet (the Internet
Protocol IP).

Transport layer
Transport layer is used in the reference model to establish an end to end connection. Topics like
quality of service, flow and congestion control are relevant, especially if the transport protocols
known from the internet, TCP and UDP, are to be used over a wireless link.

Application layer
The applications (complemented by additional layers that can support applications) are situated
on top of all transmission oriented layers. Some context on this layer are service location,
support for multimedia applications, adaptive applications that can handle the variations in
transmission characteristics, and wireless access to the World Wide Web using a portable
device. Most demanding applications are video (high data rate) and interactive gaming (low
jitter, low latency).

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