research-article

Cosmic Backscatter: New Ways to Communicate via Modulated Noise

Authors:

Zerina Kapetanovic,

Joshua R. SmithAuthors Info & Claims

HotNets '23: Proceedings of the 22nd ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks

Pages 165 - 171

https://doi.org/10.1145/3626111.3628203

Published: 28 November 2023 Publication History

Abstract

New methods of passive wireless communication are presented where no RF carrier is needed. Instead, data is wirelessly transmitted by modulating noise sources, from those found in electronic components to extraterrestrial noise sources. Any pair of noise sources with a difference in noise temperature can be used to enable communication. We discuss using the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, the coldness of space, and Active Cold Load circuits as sources of thermal contrast. We present Cosmic Backscatter and demonstrate that wireless connectivity can be enabled by switching an antenna connection between the "cold" Sky and a "hot" 50Ω resistor. Furthermore, we present Noise Suppression Communication, where data is transmitted by controlling an Active Cold Load to selectively reduce emitted noise below ambient temperature levels.

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Cited By

Garman SSaffari AKobuchi DStotland DSmith JKapetanovic Z(2024)Carrier-Free RFID: Using Modulated Noise Communication to Read UHF RFID TagsIEEE Journal of Radio Frequency Identification10.1109/JRFID.2024.33791898(196-205)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/JRFID.2024.3379189

Index Terms

Cosmic Backscatter: New Ways to Communicate via Modulated Noise
1. Hardware
  1. Communication hardware, interfaces and storage
    1. Wireless devices
2. Networks
  1. Network types
    1. Cyber-physical networks

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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

HotNets '23: Proceedings of the 22nd ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks

November 2023

306 pages

ISBN:9798400704154

DOI:10.1145/3626111

Copyright © 2023 Owner/Author.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial International 4.0 License.

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SIGCOMM: ACM Special Interest Group on Data Communication

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 28 November 2023

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Refereed limited

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Milton and Delia Zeutschel Professorship

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HotNets '23

Sponsor:

SIGCOMM

HotNets '23: The 22nd ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks

November 28 - 29, 2023

MA, Cambridge, USA

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Cited By

Garman SSaffari AKobuchi DStotland DSmith JKapetanovic Z(2024)Carrier-Free RFID: Using Modulated Noise Communication to Read UHF RFID TagsIEEE Journal of Radio Frequency Identification10.1109/JRFID.2024.33791898(196-205)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/JRFID.2024.3379189

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